


Conceiving the Impossible

by Kefalion



Series: All About Harry [16]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), Thor (Movies)
Genre: Crossover, Gen, Loki is Lily Potter, Loki's Punishments
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-07
Updated: 2014-07-02
Packaged: 2018-02-03 19:02:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 23,168
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1754735
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kefalion/pseuds/Kefalion
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Living out a life as a human is a common punishment on Asgard. Loki is being punished; he remembers nothing of his life, thinking that his name is Lily. Lily's marriage becomes strained when she cannot have children, however she meets a tall blond man and one unplanned night later everything changes. This is the story of what happens years later when Loki wakes up in his own body.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This story is created using the prompt njchrispatrick provided in chapter 4 of the story A Happy Accident: 70 Years. It goes as follows:
> 
> "Loki gets turned into a baby human female and has his memory wiped to learn a lesson after he constantly seduces Aesir men. His new name is Lily Potter. Thor decides to take a jaunt down to Earth while his brother is under punishment. Unfortunately, he does not know what Loki looks like, and decides to use the rest of his free time with the beautiful redheaded woman drinking alone. Lily's boy is born with golden blonde hair and glowing green eyes placed on a face that was much too masculine to have been James's. To keep James from knowing she disguises the baby to look like him. What happens when, over a decade later, the truth is revealed?"
> 
> I know two stories on this prompt already have been posted, but this is my take. I hope you'll enjoy reading!

Loki woke from slumber. He blinked his eyes and saw the contours of his chamber coming into focus. It was normal. It was boring. Perhaps it was comforting. He rose languidly, stretching and flexing his muscles. He got to his feet, splashed cold water on his face from the bowl that servants had prepared for him.

After using a soft towel to pat away the water he regarded his reflection in the mirror and when he saw his face he stiffened. He didn't look any different, he knew that intellectually. He still had pale skin and chiselled features, dark hair and green-blue eyes. Yet, it was  _all wrong_.

He remembered his father's words then, hearing them spoken in his head.  _"If you continue to insist on constantly taking the appearance of women, using the form to seduce good men, you need to learn what it truly means to be a woman. Perhaps then, you will understand and honour them and stop with this nonsense."_

He had been sent away. He had lived a different life. As a woman. A  _mortal_  woman. It never ceased to astonish him how Odin could preach that the people of Midgard were their equals and at the same time use them for lessons and punishments, as if they existed simply for the purpose of educating their betters.

Though perhaps having them be teachers spoke of him honouring and respecting them. They lived shorter, more intense life, having to experience everything in a fraction of the years the Aesir had at their disposal. Living like them could therefore teach much more than any punishment set in Asgard could.

Lily Evans, had been his name. A girl with dark red hair and green eyes. A witch. Magic had not been taken from him even during the punishment. It had been a good life. School and friends and magic. And love too. Lily Evans married Potter. "James," he whispered, remembering with sorrow how he had heard him die by Voldemort's wand. And then… "Harry!"

He began to search for clothes. He needed to get back. He needed to get back to his baby. The next thought stopped him as he was pushing his arm through the sleeve of his robe. "Thor," he whispered, eyes widening in a manner that would be comical had his face not also turned ghostly white. "Damn him!" He was filled with absolute horror at what had happened. "Oh, fuck!" He straightened his grab and exited his chambers at a half run. He knew time must have passed. It always went a long time before anyone who lived out the full life of a human settled back into their own body. He could only hope that not too long had passed. Not that it mattered. Thor would be made aware of his blunder. Of what had…he swallowed down bile that threatened to spill up his throat… his brother would know what had  _happened_  between them.

"Where can I find my brother?" he asked of a guard stationed not far from his rooms, he noticed that his voice was a croak, but he couldn't make himself care even as the guard frowned at him.

"In the courtyard, my Lord," the man said slowly. "The King and Queen will be pleased to hear that you have awoken," he added hesitantly.

"I'm sure they will be," he said with a half-sneer-half-smile. There had been no mention of a son, no mention of Harry being happy to hear that he was once more among them. This could mean either that Harry was dead- yes he could think it, even if it hurt, it wouldn't be very surprising - or that his family who  _must_  know, had not cared to interfere and bring him home. Neither thought was pleasant.

He was in a hurry and did not care for decorum or to diminish his abilities to keep people comfortable and as soon as he had rounded a corner he gathered his magic and transported himself to the courtyard. There were protections against such magic, but he had an advantage in having learnt the way to travel instantly from the magical humans and in their never ending arrogance the rulers of Asgard had not accounted for such magic. He passed freely though the protections appearing at Thor's side. The blond warrior was sparring with the Lady Sif.

"Excuse me, My Lady," Loki said with a small bow, trying to keep himself together by once more reverting to being courteous, or perhaps he only did it because she was Lady Sif, and he didn't have any qualms with her. "But I shall need to borrow this dim-witted oaf."

"Loki?" Sif said in surprise, stopping her double bladed sword a handbreadth from his face, as her reflexes had made her attack at his abrupt arrival.

"Brother!" Thor crowed in delight, slapping Loki on the back. "You have finally awoken!"

Sneering Loki turned around and punched him, he wanted to do more, but one hit in the jaw would have to do for now. "You absolute bumbling idiot!" he yelled hotly.

Thor's smile ran off his face and he looked perplexed. "What have I done?" he asked, more solemnly, rubbing at his chin, surprised at the hit rather than hurt by it.

"Oh, you have no idea, do you?" Loki laughed hollowly, perhaps a bit hysterically.

"No, I confess I do not."

The warriors who had been training in the courtyard had all stopped their drills and sparring to regard the two royal siblings; Loki looked them over and remembered that they were not in private. "This is not something everyone needs to hear. Lady Sif, by your leave."

The woman nodded. That was what Loki liked about her, she was a no nonsense sort of person. She had to be, to compete with the men who wouldn't accept her if she was anything less than perfect.

Loki grabbed onto Thor's arm and apparated them back to his chambers. He saw with glee that the blond stumbled as they landed and looked faintly ill.

"What was that?" he asked in a groan and quickly sought a place to sit down.

"A trick I learned in my absence. Now I need you to tell me how many years have passed since my banishment."

"Thirty? Forty? I'm not certain, years pass quickly," Thor said, massaging his temples. "That trick was truly cruel, brother."

"Are you truly this stupid? Are you too much of a bumbling idiot to even keep track of time?"

"What does it matter?"

"Truly you must know that humans live longer than that. I died young. I left people behind. People I care about. People who are important to me." Loki drew in a deep breath. "A child."

Thor looked up abruptly, his eyes large. "A child? But the spell, it would not let you conceive a child with a mortal."

Loki laughed. "And it didn't." He changed his appearance, shrinking in height, his body getting curves and his hair turning auburn, his clothing shrinking to fit his new body. "Do you see now?" he asked, his voice soft and feminine, mocking and hysterical and so much more all at once. "Do you understand what we- what you have done?"

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

_Thor would never have thought that he would miss his brother. It was true that they were family and that they shared a bond, but they had never been close as they couldn't understand each other. Much of the blame lay on his shoulders, he knew this but it was only in recent years that he had begun to become aware of it._

_It had been a fight where they as usual were of different opinions, and they had gone their separate ways. Both had failed to complete the task that was set, and then as they were forced to work together they had at last succeeded. It had opened his eyes to his brother's good qualities. They had gotten friendlier after that. But enough that he would miss Loki after only a couple of decades? He hadn't thought so._

_He had come to miss his brother's wit and remarks dripping with acid. He missed the adventures they had gone on together. The Warriors Three and Lady Sif were good companions, but Loki added something to their ensemble that he found himself longing for. A human life is short, and from the perspective of those who live for thousands of years even more so, yet he found that if he had the option he would want to meet Loki now and not in a century's time._

_As a way to feel closer to his brother in spirit he travelled to earth._

_The society of Midgard had changed a lot since he last visited. That had been several hundred years before and it hadn't occurred to him that the people of Midgard would evolve so much. In Asgard things rarely changed and in his experience the same was true for Earth, but now they had vehicles that moved at velocities that could rival the battle ships of Asgard, buildings that were as tall as the Royal Palace and there were lights everywhere. It was strange and it was fascinating. It took him some time before he was able to walk among them without drawing attention for his strange appearance, foreign mannerisms and archaic speech._

_On the eve of the last day he had planned for his visit to Midgard, Thor ventured to the lands he had most often visited during the days when it was common for the people of Asgard to journey to Earth. Though things had changed in this land as well it was possible to find places where people chose to remember the old, and it was in such an establishment he retired for the evening to drink and seep in the atmosphere._

_The air was filled with the smoke of a fire over which a whole suckling pig was being roasted. The walls and ceiling were made out of large wooden logs, the beams of the construction visible and carved with different figures of beast and man._

_He looked around and his gaze fell on a woman who was sitting by the bar, nursing a near empty tankard of what may either be mead or bear, depending on how far the establishment had gone in trying to recreate the days long since past. From where he stood by the entrance he could only see that she was small and that she had hair the colour of a deep sunset falling in soft ringlets down to her shoulder blades._

_He approached the bar and took the stool next to her. From his new position he could see her face and it did not make him regret his decision to approach her. She was beautiful with soft, symmetrical features and green eyes. She did not appear to be happy however, looking down into her drink as if searching for answers in the golden-brown liquid._

" _God kveld," he said softly, politely._

" _I'm sorry, I don't speak Norwegian," she replied without looking up, "and I'm not interested."_

" _English is it?" Thor asked._

_Now she looked at him and he felt the impact of her eyes. They were even greener than he had first thought. "Oh," she breathed softly. "I..." Her face had taken on a pensive look as she regarded him, eyes narrowed and brows furrowed. "I feel like I know you from somewhere."_

" _That couldn't be, I would remember beauty such as yours."_

_Her lips twitched into a reluctant smile. "Not interested, remember?" She held up her left hand and he could see the golden wedding band that sat there._

_He inclined his head, admitting defeat. "I see. What I don't see however is a reason to not share a drink as friends."_

_She gave him an incredulous look. "Really? Were you not looking for a conquest? A partner for the night?"_

_Thor shrugged his large shoulders. "I am leaving for my home tomorrow and I wished to spend one last night enjoying myself, I had given little thought to if the night would end early or late. I saw you sitting here alone and chose to seek your company; no one should have to drink alone. If you simply wish me to sit here silently I will do so. If you wish to talk, I'll listen. If you want to hear stories to keep from thinking of whatever sorrows you hold, I can provide too. If you had wanted more I would have been honoured. Simply allow me to spare you loneliness tonight."_

_All hostility had melted away from her countenance as he spoke. It left a small spark of gratefulness and hope, greatly tempered by desolation and sorrow. "Lily," she said holding out her right hand for him to shake._

_He took it, but did not shake as was the contemporary custom on Midgard, instead bringing it up to his lips and placing a small kiss on the knuckles. "Lady Lily," he murmured as she blushed lightly. "I am Tor." That was the name he had used since he better came to understand Midgard. It was a common enough name in the lands he had visited in his youth, a variation of his name to reflect the languages spoken in the region where they had once worshipped the people of Asgard, he had thought it fitting._

" _As the Norse God of Thunder," she said._

_He simply smiled brilliantly, but did not comment on it. "Let me provide you with a new drink."_

" _Okay."_

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

_They had shared on drink which became two and three. In the beginning Thor talked about his travels around the world and that he missed his brother who he said was gone without specifying anything. And when they became more comfortable with each other Lily told him what she was doing there. She had been in a fight with her husband because the doctors had said that she was unable to have a child. They were both disappointed. They had wanted a family together. She felt like she had let him down. Her husband, James, was from an old family and though he claimed that it didn't matter, the idea that his line wouldn't be continued because he had fallen for an infertile woman, pained him. He had not said a single cruel world to her, he had assured her that he loved her as much now as he always had and that he didn't regret marrying her. He had assured her that he would do it all over again even knowing. However for all his words and all his kindness the sorrow she could see in his eyes was coming between them._

_Lily didn't know what to do. She thought about divorcing him so that he could be free to search for another woman to love, a woman who could give him a child. After a month of living together, everything continuing as it had been before but feeling hollow, Lily had said that she would travel for a bit, just for a few days or so. She had told him frankly that she had to think about what to do now, she had to be sure that this wouldn't come between them, that they could still be happy without being able to have a child. Some time apart to think would do them good. She had arrived in Norway the very same day and she felt tired of it all and more alone than she had imagined. She missed James and she said that perhaps that was her answer._

_Thor hadn't meant to do it and Lily had started their acquaintance by saying that she wasn't interested, but he felt the need to comfort her somehow and a kiss that was aimed at her cheek had ended up on her mouth. It created a spark between them, two strangers who had been drinking together and sharing their stories._

_Thor drew back, looking at her, hesitantly, wondering if he should apologize._

_She looked conflicted, though not angry. "We can't," she whispered. "We absolutely can't."_

" _Then we don't," he answered easily._

" _You feel familiar somehow," she said for a second time. "I feel like I know you. But we truly mustn't." Still she pressed her lips against his again as if drawn there._

" _It's okay. I'll take no more than you want to give."_

" _No, you must stop this now. There is something about you…"_

" _It will be okay."_

_In the end she had given everything, perhaps just because he hadn't asked anything of her. She was gone when he woke up in the morning, her scent still lingering in his bed sheets. Thor had spared her a last thought, hoping that things would go well for her then he had returned to Asgard his longing for his brother soothed._

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

"Norns have mercy," Thor whispered. He had turned frighteningly pale. "Lily. You were Lily." He looked at his brother in the form of the woman he had spent one night with. Now he had his answer to what had become of her. The spell their father had placed on Loki so that he would not have a child and form any attachments that would follow him into his ordinary life had been the reason why Lily could not have a child with her husband. And soon after their meeting she must have died. It was also the reason why she had insisted that she knew him, even if he could not recognize her.

"I am," Loki said shifting back to his own form.

Thor swallowed. "We… I… we had… I sle-"

"Yes, you big baby, we had sex."

"It's wrong! We are brothers!"

"Yes, it is wrong and believe me when I say that I draw no more pleasure from remembering what happened than you do."

"So I didn't pleasure-"

"Don't you dare make this about your pride! I suggest that we agree on never speaking about that evening again." Loki waited for Thor to nod. "What is much more important is that I, as Lily, had a child by you." He laughed hollowly at how absurd the notion was.

"We have a child?"

"Yes. A son who I named Harry. I died to protect him and now you and I are going to demand answers from our father regarding what became of him."

Thor looked pained.

"What?" Loki demanded.

"Father has entered the Odin sleep. He will not be available ere the morrow."

"Let us see Heimdall then, he will be able to tell me where my-"

"Our," Thor butted in.

"-son is. If he is alive and well."

"Why wouldn't he be alive?" Thor asked with concern, flinching when Loki grasped his arm once more and the world twisted around them.

"Weren't you listing?" Loki snarled, uncaring about the fact that Thor's complexion had turned slightly green after they'd apparated again. "I told you that I died to protect him, of course he would be in danger."

"Sorry," Thor mumbled, closing his mouth soon again as to not let anything unwanted, both insults and bile, escape up his throat and out past his lips.

"Heimdall," Loki called, walking into the observatory with a determined stride.

"I know why you have come," the Gate Keeper said calmly, turning around on the dais he was standing on.

"Then this should be quick. I shall not ask you about my father's intentions; I will want to hear them from him. So I ask you what's befallen my son. Is he alive? Is he well?"

"He is alive," replied Heimdall. "And he is well considering."

"What?"

"After the death of your incarnation as Lily Potter, the dark lord Voldemort tried to kill him, he could not. Your sacrifice had left him with protection and the curse designed to destroy lives rebounded, his Asgardian blood also protected him."

"Is Voldemort gone then?"

"Alas, no. He was too deeply emerged into the darkest of magicks to die a normal death. His spirit remains and is ever searching for a way to return."

"I see, he shall have to be dealt with then. And Harry, what happened to him after?"

"He was placed with Petunia Dursley by Albus Dumbledore."

"Excuse me?" Loki said in a deadpan. "I couldn't possibly have heard you right. He would never place Harry with Petunia. No one in their right mind would place a magical child with my sister."

"Sister?" Thor said.

"Not now, Thor," he brushed away the inquiry.

"That is nevertheless what happened."

"If she has hurt him, I will hurt her."

Heimdal's countenance was grim.

"She did," Loki concluded.

"She had not been a loving or just guardian."

"What is the year?"

"Today it is the fifth of November 1995."

"Will I find him at Hogwarts?"

"You will."

"Open the gate, we are going."

"As you wish."

"Loki, do you believe this to be the wisest cause of action? It's hasty, and unlike you," Thor said, holding onto his brother's arm.

"Yes, it should be you who wished to go, yet I see that's not the case. Do you regret the outcome of that night then? Would you like to pretend that there was no outcome, same as I've claimed that we shall never discuss what we did for Harry to be born?"

"It's complicated, you've expressed this yourself. I would like to meet him, but it should be done right."

"The right thing would have been for me to wake up much sooner. I will not delay this. Come with me or not, I do not care." Loki twitched free and approached the portal that had been opened by Heimdall.

"I will come. He should meet us both," Thor insisted.

Loki smiled thinly. "Good."


	2. Chapter 2

The Bifrost transported them to Hogwarts, the colours of the rainbow encapsulating them and pushing them forward at a velocity many times greater than the speed of light. A mere moment later they arrived and Loki looked around, familiarizing himself with the school grounds once more. They had appeared below the hill where the castle stood, having the building looming over them and the Black Lake at their backs. There was a threat of rain in the air as dirty gray clouds filled the sky, moving low over the earth, making the mountains he knew to be in the distance impossible to spot. Besides, it was darkening as night was falling swiftly and early now in the beginning of November. He drew in a breath, filling his nose and lungs with the cool autumn air.

Things were as he remembered. He felt unbidden nostalgia welling up as he looked his fill. It felt a bit like coming home. But it was not like when he had been a student at the school. It could never be the same again. He was still Lily, really he did think that, but he was also so much more, making the comparison of his two identities near impossible. He retained her memories and her knowledge. Her character traits had always been his, they had only expressed themselves in differently in another environment, but he too was capable of kindness the way she had been. Neither was it difficult for him to imagine himself being hardworking and skilled as she had been or determined and with no tolerance for stupidity. It was being popular that set them apart, but he could have been well liked too, where his talents appreciated in Asgard they way they were at Hogwarts.

Loki knew of course that their arrival would have been noticed, it would take even blinder people than wizards not to notice the blinding flash that announced someone travelling by the Bifrost. And the mark that was left on the ground where the beam had impacted had left an unmistakable trace as well, which would show their presence even after they were long gone. One more thing displaying the arrogance of the Asgardians. However it did not matter because Loki did not intend for them to hide.

"What is this place?" Thor asked hefting Mjolnir up on his shoulder.

"This is Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he responded idly. "I spent seven years here, learning about magic. Here I made friends and believed myself to have found love." He didn't want to dwell on James. The man was gone, and they would not have been able to go on they way they had, had James still been here. Their relationship would have changed dramatically. He wasn't a woman, he was a god. Ironically a god of mischief and trickery, the very things he as Lily so often had berated James for.

"And our son is learning magic here too?"

"Yes, Heimdall said he'd be here, which of course means that he'll be learning magic."

Thor nodded slowly, a strange expression crossing his face.

Loki frowned suspiciously, he knew that look. "Does it displease you that your son is a magician?"

Thor grimaced. "I'd be lying if I said no, however-"

He never got the chance to complete his sentence, because Loki interrupted him. "And there we have it! You despise me and my talents! You always have! I should have come alone." He poked his brother in the chest, starring him in the eyes, his gaze piercing in its intensity. "I will not have you look down on Harry!"

"I would not!" Thor argued back. "I did not mean it as such, as you would know if you had allowed me to continue! It has taken me time to accept you, this is true, but I respect you, Loki. As a warrior and as a person." He paused briefly. "And I respect you as a wielder of magic too. You must believe me. I would never feel anything less than respect and love for any child of mine, or you."

Loki breathed hard, backed a couple of steppes and pulled at his over-robe, righting the fall of the fabric. "Fine! If you do not behave though, you will not like what I'll do to you."

"I understand. I will remember your warning."

"Good, because we are about to have company."

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

Harry sighed as he moved his fork around in the stew on his plate. It was supposed to be his dinner; it looked more like a crazy artist's idea of an art installation or - if you didn't mind getting nauseated - like something that has already been someone's dinner.

He had tried to eat, but he had no appetite and couldn't force himself to mechanically chew and swallow. Every time he looked down at the hand holding the fork he would see the scarring from the blood quill Umbridge was forcing him to use in detention, being reminded that he had another in less than an hour, despite it being Sunday.

"Harry, you have to eat," Hermione pleaded softly, looking at him over the edge of the book she was studying, as she had finished eating.

"Yeah, mate," Ron, who was on his second helping, agreed between bites. "Nothing will be better for starving yourself."

"I just don't feel like eating," Harry replied dully. He picked up an apple from one of the plates lining the table. "I'll save this for later, okay?"

Hermione did not exactly look pleased at his solution, but she nodded and Harry counted it as a victory.

"Good thinking," Ron said, "though I still don't get why you would trade meat for fruit."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "You wouldn't," she agreed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Nothing, Ron. Listen to this instead, I've found a spell that would be perfect for the DA." She turned the book over, so that Harry and Ron who was sitting on the opposite side of the table from her, could see. She pointed at a spell at the top of the page.

"The Confundus Charm?" Ron read out, not all that impressed.

"It might not look like much, but as I understand it, it's fairly easy to cast, and it can give you a moment's advantage in a dire situation as your opponent is confused as to what's going on."

Harry nodded. "If we can learn it, I'm sure we can teach it in the DA, but you know we've only got together once and we barely practiced any spells. You don't need to look up anything new."

"It's always good to be prepared, and anyway I've been thinking about when we should have our next meeting. I think Thursday would be good."

"Unless I get any more detentions," Harry muttered.

"You'll just have to keep a low head and-"

Hermione discontinued as a bright light lit up the Hall. It originated from outside, filling the room with white light with the intensity of lightning for a moment or two, before it faded abruptly.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Ron asked, eyes wide.

The students who filled the Great Hall seemed to be of the same meaning. Chatter broke out at a much louder volume than before as everyone discussed what it could have been. Many got up from their seats to swarm towards the windows on the side of the Hall where the light had been seen in hope of being able to see where it originated from.

Harry though did not look in that direction, his gaze was firmly locked on the Headmaster. He could not hear what Dumbledore said, but it was soon odious that he had asked for action as he, McGonagall, Snape and Flitwick rose to their feet, leaving Sprout and the other professors behind to deal with the students. Umbridge was of course also there. Harry could imagine the argument which must have passed between her and the Headmaster as she hadn't been asked to accompany them outside to investigate and was adamant that she should come along.

Dumbledore must have acquiesced and the five professors marched down between the Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw table, exiting through the doors and out of sight. With them gone, the students began to realize that they might be able to get a better look at  _the show_  if they too went outside and so the stream of students changed direction from crowding by the windows to trying to scramble through the doors.

Harry was way ahead of them, having risen to his feet as soon as the professors passed where he was sitting. He followed close at their backs, ignoring it when he heard Hermione call after him. He kept a few paces back so that he wouldn't be immediately noticed, whishing that he had his invisibility cloak, because he had a feeling that he wouldn't be allowed to follow the group of professors. And he was right; when he got out into the near empty Entrance Hall he was discovered.

"Potter! What do you think you're doing?" That was Snape. The Potions Professor had turned his head and noticed Harry following them.

"Eh…" he said stalling for time, trying to think up the best plausibly excuse which wouldn't get him in trouble. "I had just finished eating, so I was headed to Gryffindor Tower."

Snape glared, his black eyes flashing.

"Sir," Harry added.

"Be on your way then," Snape snapped, before he turned to follow the Headmaster once more, his robes billowing out behind him, they way the always did.

Harry moved slowly towards the Marble Staircase, not intending to ascend, but needing to look like he was planning to do so if Snape was to turn around to check if he followed through with his excuse. He also wanted to be out of the way, as many more students were now flooding out into the Entrance Hall.

Dumbledore turned around then, as he was stepping through the dark front doors of massive oak and addressed the gathered students. "I ask you all to remain inside until further notice, your professors and I will investigate what happened and you will receive a due notice."

The professors passed through the door, which shut behind them, a locking spell falling in place with a sound of finality.

Harry noted with irritation and slight anger that Dumbledore had been looking everywhere but at him. It was a stupid thing to be angry about, but he didn't understand why the Headmaster was avoiding him and had done so ever since he returned after Voldemort's rebirth.

"What do you think, George?" he heard one of the Weasley twins say from his left, drawing his attention in another direction than his dark musings regarding the Headmaster. "Where do you reckon we'll see what happens the clearest?"

"Good question. The Great Hall, the Astronomy Tower or Gryffindor Tower?"

"That or outside through one of the passage ways. I bet we could get real close without them noticing."

"That's an idea."

Harry turned to look at them. "I want in," he said, suddenly full of conviction.

"Do you hear, Fred? Harry wants in!"

"I heard him loud and clear."

"Should we take him?"

"I don't know," whoever it was who said that - Harry had already lost track and just because one had addressed the other as Fred it didn't mean that he was using the right name - tapped his chin thoughtfully.

"Come on, guys!" Harry said with exasperation. "If you don't help me I'll just go on my own!"

"Someone is very determined."

"Indeed, George."

"And who are we to deny such zealousness when it comes to breaking the rules?"

"It would be morally wrong."

"Do you think Filch will be snooping around?"

"It's worth the risk, I'd say."

"The one by the Transfiguration Courtyard or the stairs by the History Classroom?"

"History. It lets out on the right side."

"Good point."

Harry followed the conversation, listening intently so that the sound of their voices wouldn't get drowned out by the clamour that the rest of the student body, who had spilled out into the Entrance Hall, was making.

"Let's go then," he said, starting up the stairs knowing that time was of the essence. He wasn't completely sure why he was so adamant about knowing what was going on, but he had a nagging feeling and he very much doubted that they would be told anything worthwhile by the professors. If they were to know anything they had to investigate it themselves. His only regret was that Ron and Hermione weren't there, but on the other hand, Hermione would just say no to breaking the rules over this, as they were already breaking too many rules with the DA and Ron had never gotten along all that well with Fred and George.

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

Loki could feel a shark like grin taking hold of his features as he spotted Dumbledore leading a group of witches and wizards hurrying down from the castle, heading in their direction. He had more than a few words to say to the man, most of them were words he never would expect to hear from Lily Potter. Heimdall had told him that the Headmaster had placed his Harry with Petunia and he would answer for his actions. No excuse would be good enough to satisfy him, not when he knew that Petunia had let her jealousy affect the way she cared for Harry.

His smile turned more gentle when he saw Professor McGonagall and Professor Flitwick, both of who he only had fond memories. It pleased him to know that they were still teaching, that his son would have had good professors in two core subjects.

Next his mind came to a stand still as he recognized the last man of the company, a man who he had not expected to see. It was Severus Snape, the first magical friend he had made as Lily, the man who had insulted him in a moment of humiliation and who had gone too far into the areas of dark magic for him to be able to accept it.

The memories he had of Severus were bittersweet. There were the days of childhood when Severus had opened up his eyes to the wonders of magic that were all around them. Childhood was followed by the early Hogwarts days when things had turned more complicated, though still remaining easy because that was what he wanted them to be, their friendship lasting through them being sorted into rivalling houses. And then there were the years of war with uncertainty, and pain.

He couldn't fathom what Severus role in all of this was. A professor? It seemed unlikely, yet his presence dictated that it must be so. There was one good thing about it, for Severus to be here, teaching he must have done something to convince Dumbledore that he could be trusted, he must no longer be affiliated with the Dark side. That was a relief and a pleasant surprise.

What should be done next had turned more uncertain than it had initially been. Loki hadn't planned anything through, he hadn't cared. He only cared about seeing Harry, about making sure that his son was alive and well and that he should regain a – or two – parents in his life without further delay. Too many years had already passed without him able to make a difference. How to prove his identity and behave with the people who would stop him from seeing Harry, for the boy's protection, wasn't something he had pondered. Neither had he been bothered by the idea of revealing to a whole world that Asgard existed, which in truth was reckless and stupid. He shrugged that idea off, feeling vindictive and drawing pleasure from the idea that this would case problems for his father.

"What will be our next move?" Thor asked, calling Loki out at his extemporariness, which was amusing in how ironic it was.

"We do whatever we need to be allowed to see Harry, then we talk to him, explain how it is, and hopefully we'll be able to take him home soon."

Thor nodded. "And these people, who are they? Friend or foe?"

Loki snorted. "You will have no need to bash in any skulls with your hammer today. This isn't one of the adventures you are accustomed to. Diplomacy is what we'll need, not brute violence."

The blond looked slightly disappointed, but nodded his assent. "As you say, brother."

It took a moment longer for the group of witches and wizards to move down the hill to stand face to face with the two brothers. Loki continued to study them, seeing how they had all aged and trying to place the last woman of the group. He didn't believe he had seen her before. She was probably a new teacher, making her largely unimportant.

"Gentlemen," Dumbledore opened the conversation when they arrived, "what brings you to Hogwarts?"

"Headmaster Dumbledore," Loki began, striving to keep his tone polite, the yelling could come later, for now it would serve no purpose, "what do you know about worlds beyond this one?" It may be an unconventional way to begin a conversation, but he wanted to get to the point as soon as possible.

Dumbledore frowned. "There isn't much known," he started, vaguely implying that he did not possess the suggested knowledge without specifically saying so. "I believe they study the possibility of alternate dimensions in the Department of Mysteries."

"What I speak of is not alternate dimensions, worlds separated by barriers of time and energy, coexisting in layers. I speak merely of worlds separated by distance, worlds that exist beyond the furthest star visible from Earth."

The Headmaster gave a small indulgent smile. "If such worlds do exist, we would have no way of knowing, as they as you pointed out lie beyond our sight."

"What would you say if you knew that the ones who reside beyond the stars weren't trapped by the same limitations? If they could see and travel these distances as easy as you apparate?"

"What is this nonsense?" Loki half-and-half expected the words to come from Severus, but they were spoken in a high-pitched sugary tone that the dour man never would be able to produce. It was the witch whose name he did not know. He suspected that he was about to find out her name, and found the prospect less than thrilling. "There is nothing out there! If there was, the Ministry would know."

"I assure you, madam, there is much the British Ministry of Magic does not know." He forced himself to look at her despite the garish pink colour of her robes and the unpleasant look of her face, giving her a superior smile.

"Do you have any idea of who I am?" she said, puffing herself up – it was not impressive with her inexistent height - her voice simpering, yet with a strange shrill overtone making it even less pleasant to the ear.

"I do not, though I would assume that you have affiliations with the ministry."

"I am Dolores Umbridge, Undersecretary to the Minister, and you are a trespasser on these grounds, I demand that you identify yourself!"

"There, there, Dolores, no need for such hostility, I am sure that our guests only have peaceful intentions, despite their sensational arrival," the Headmaster said, and though Loki was far from pleased with him, he would much rather converse with him over the woman.

"My identity is a large part of the reason why I have come here with my brother today. As for if our intentions are peaceful; that will be up to you."

"You come here unannounced and uninvited and you threaten us, why then should we respond with courteousness?" Now it was Severus who spoke, voice low pitched and silky. The years hadn't been kind to him, Loki could see as much, and yet he had grown to become an impressive man, it satisfied him to know that, and he wondered if their friendship could be rekindled.

"My apologies," he said inclining his head. "The reason I am here is also a most upsetting one and I believe that I have been allowing my emotions to get the best of me. I am Loki of Asgard, you knew me as Lily Evans and I am here to see my son."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN 12th June 2014
> 
> It just occurred to me that I've never before written Harry at Hogwarts, well the Hogwarts we know from the books. Huh. I don't know how I've escaped that! It was fun though getting to write Fred and George, Snape and Umbridge.
> 
> Oh and when it comes to the House Tables and the order they are in; I looked up what it was supposed to be, and the result was inconclusive. It apparently changes through the books, so I'm placing them as they are in The Goblet of Fire as that is how I've always imagined them. So if you stand by the doors to the Great hall the tables would be from left to right: Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, Gryffindor.
> 
> Also I admit to fangirling when I wrote the line "I am Loki of Asgard," Sigh, that line is too iconic, but I had to use it.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. The next one ought to be interesting.


	3. Chapter 3

Harry was running down the stairs that Fred and George had shown him to be located behind a tapestry of a pegasus in flight, in an alcove near to History classroom. The stairs were steep and a bit slippery and he had to have his wand lit to be able to see anything. They stairs were also very long, leading down, down, steadily down.

Harry spat and snorted as he ran into a series of cobwebs, brushing them away from his face with an impatient gesture. By now the professors would surely have found the source of the light. They were moving too slowly. They needed to speed up.

"Harry, wait up!" one of the twins called. "You'll need help to open the other end of the passage!"

Holding back a groan of frustration, Harry slowed down, which was just as well as the next step had a large hole in it, which he would have missed had he kept up the same speed, probably ending up with him falling and needless to say; that would not have been good. He called out a warning over his shoulder and continued at a more sedate pace.

Eventually they did reach the bottom of the stairs and Harry had to concede that he had no idea how go move on from there, all he could see was a small chamber with floor, walls and ceiling constructed of massive blocks of gray stone, nothing about it indicated that there was a way out.

"It's like the entrance to Diagon Alley," Fred or George explained, sounding slightly out of breath as he stepped up next to Harry. "You need to tap the right stones with your wand for it too open."

"Do it," Harry urged. They were running out of time. One of the twins drew his wand and tapped the wall five times, in a pattern that Harry filed away for later reference. Left, up, up, down, right. The stone wall slid soundlessly to the side, and Harry was out through the opening as soon as it was large enough to squeeze through. He stumbled as stone turned to damp grass under his feet and looked up to get his bearings.

The stairway had let out at the bottom of the hill where the castle stood, with the lake only a few paces away, a massive gray body of water, making Harry think that this stairway must at one point have been another route to get to the harbour under the castle where first years were taken by boat on the night of the welcoming feast. Looking along the hillside he saw that there was a small pathway there, confirming his suspicion.

He followed the shoreline in the other direction with his eyes, seeing nothing out of the ordinary and subsequently turned his gaze in the direction of the castle in a sweeping arch. Now he spotted a group of figures. Quickly he counted them and came up with six.

"We have to get closer if we want to hear anything," one of the twins whispered to his right, perhaps the furtiveness was unnecessary as they were so far away, but why risk it? "I do have a pair of extendible ears, but they're not long enough for this."

There was nowhere to take cover along the way, only open lawns. Harry once more wished for his invisibility cloak. "Any ideas?" he asked, never taking his eyes off the group of figures.

"We learnt the disillusionment charm a couple of weeks ago; I think I can pull it off. How about you, George?"

"You were better at it than me."

"Fine, I'll cast it."

"What does it do?" Harry asked.

"Makes whatever it's cast on behave like a chameleon. It's not completely fool proof, but it's rather dark and getting more so; it should give us good enough cover."

"Oh, that's the one the Order used when they moved me from the Dursley's. Okay, let's try it."

Harry heard - who he now knew to be - Fred mutter a charm and tap his wand firmly on top of his brother's head. From the impact point it looked like a liquid was spreading and half a moment later George was as good as invisible. Harry could still see the contours of his body when he moved, but it would give them sufficient cover he was sure.

"Wicked," he breathed. He would never tire of seeing magic.

Then it was his turn. Fred tapped his head and a feeling like an egg being cracked on the impact point and dripping down sluggishly and cold followed, making him shiver slightly, the same as it had the first and only time he had been under it.

He didn't really want to wait for the two Weasleys anymore, but he restrained himself and followed their lead as they began to move closer, hunching close to the ground and moving sideways along the hillside.

Eventually they got close enough to see the group of people clearer, though not to hear what was being said, the wind was tearing their voices away. Fred and George stopped and pulled out the flesh coloured string that were the extendible ears, making the ends crawl away through the grass like long, thin snakes.

While they waited to see if it had worked Harry studied the two unknown individuals the extendable ears were creeping closer to. He also noted that Umbridge was missing, which he did not mind one bit. One of the strangers was a very tall, muscular man, in gleaming silver armour unlike anything he'd ever seen before. He had blond hair and beard and a read cape was flowing form his shoulders. It was extravagant and foreign, even compared to most wizards. The man was also carrying a hammer of ridiculous proportions.

The other one was a quite a bit shorter and female, even from this distance he could tell. He gasped as her face turned right in their direction, her eyes meeting his despite the spell that was protecting him. Her hand moved and he could feel the disillusionment charm melting away, it didn't matter though as long as their gazes were connected. He knew those eyes. He saw them every time he looked in a mirror. It, no matter how unlikely it was, no matter how impossible it was, it -  _she_  washis mother.

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

Loki studied Severus' face. It was completely impassive, not showing a single emotion, then they looked at each other and his lips curled in a hostile expression. "You dare claim-"

"Severus, my boy," Dumbledore interrupted the black clad man who had drawn his wand, prompting him to grudgingly lower it again. "Would you care to explain further?" the Headmaster asked of Loki. "I think we would all benefit from understanding this better."

"I do not think any explanation will be sufficient. I would not believe me either. I shall however explain as best I can, and perhaps you'll surprise me and yourselves by actually believing."

"I don't think so," Severus muttered darkly.

"Perhaps you should show them, the way you showed me," Thor suggested; his input unexpected and surprisingly good. "It was a rather convincing display."

"I might as well," Loki agreed. He did not believe that it would have the same affect on the people from his other life as it had on Thor, but he was willing to try. "What harm could it do?" he added to himself. Ultimately the only person whose trust he would go out of his way to gain was Harry's.

He changed his form, the magic coming easily to him as his mind clearly remembered the form of Lily, knowing it as well as his true form. This time he took the care to change his clothes as well, allowing his over-robe of leather and metal to melt away and transform into a simple black wizard's cloak and his under robe to become simple and black as well.

Stunned expressions were what followed, and looking at Severus, Loki felt the man's pain. He didn't seem to be believing that Loki and Lily being the same person was the truth, yet he was faced with a ghost and that reflected on his face.

McGonagall seemed mildly impressed with the show of magic, being a person who highly valued proficiency in the subject she taught. Flitwick was the same though to a more extreme degree. Dumbledore was unreadable with his mild expression and a faint twinkle in the eyes. He couldn't care any less about what Umbridge thought. Seeing Thor turn slightly pink as he changed form did give him a brief sense of amusement, apparently his brother still found Lily to be attractive and that bothered him enough to make him blush.

"I don't expect this performance to be sufficient to earn your trust," he – or was it she now – said. "My brother and I belong to a different people than you do. We live for far longer than humans do and our kind has long since discovered ways to travel between inhabited worlds. Our presence on earth has been minor these last centuries, but in times that for you only exist in legend we walked among you without hiding, and our abilities made the humans of old revere us as gods."

"You said Asgard," squeaked tiny professor Flitwick excitedly, looking like he was restraining himself from jumping up and down, "and I recognize that Hammer! It's Mjolnir! Which would make you Thor!" he pointed at the tall blond.

"Indeed I am," boomed Thor, ridiculously delighted to have been recognized.

"Norse Mythology is real?" asked Professor McGonagall, unbelieving, though still able to put two and two together from the information that was given.

Loki smiled, brushing back his now red hair behind his ear in a distinctly feminine gesture that came to him without any thought now that he had the shape of Lily. "I would not go so far, Professor," he said feeling more and more like he was back at Hogwarts, debating something in a NEWT-class. "Some of the tales told are quite fantastical, especially when it comes to what they say about me."

"What do they say about you, brother… er," Thor frowned. He had looked very expectant, but then he noticed that his address didn't really seem right, as his brother, didn't look much like the brother he knew except for the wicked smile that was slowly curling his lips. "What do they say about you, Loki?" he changed his question.

"I rather you didn't know. There's a lot about different children I supposedly am the parent of and then this story with a goat and a rope tied to my…" He quickly trailed off. He didn't possess that part of his anatomy at the moment and would rather not dwell on it, so he switched the focus to Thor, knowing that his brother would be susceptible to latch on to that topic. "You know; they figure that you are married to Sif?"

"Truly? Lady Sif is only a friend!"

"I know that, of course, but you can't expect them to-"

"No!" the Ministry woman spoke - or rather shrieked - again, her eyes wild. "Gods are not real! You are not Thor or Loki! All of this is absurd! That is not Mjolnir! Lily Potter died fourteen years ago, and I don't know who you think you are, but-"

Loki rolled his eyes and interrupted her not at all interested in hearing her spiel. "I believe that I am the one who will make you shut up." He waved his hand lazily and Umbridge teeth clicked together, her lips melting together until plain, smooth skin was all that remained where her mouth had once been. The woman emitted muffled shrieks of panic and rage from behind the fleshy barrier. "Do I really need a silencing spell too? Very well," he flicked his fingers and she became silent. The woman went for her wand now, and proved that she was proficient in none verbal magic as she cast a curse at Loki. He tilted his head to the side as it had no greater effect than tickling. Perhaps he had underestimated how impervious Asgardians were to mortal magic if tickling was all it accomplished.

The witch tried again, and his eyes widened as he felt pain erupting in every cell of his body. Not immune to the Unforgivables then. He had not expected her to try one of those. It was against the law. To have the courage or plain stupidity to do it in front of four faculty members… Perhaps she believed that she could get away with it since she hadn't said the incantation out loud.

Biting the flesh inside of his mouth to not show any pain, or let out a whimper, he briefly considered allowing Thor to make use of his hammer, but he wanted to take care of the  _toad_  himself. And that was exactly what he did. He turned her into a toad. As she shrunk he let out a small sigh of relief as the pain vanished. He conjured a cage around her and had it float through the air into his hands.

"She used and unforgivable," he spat as explanation. He could see that McGonagall was about to protest his transfiguration. "Just use a Priori Incantato on her wand and you'll have the evidence."

"She didn't," McGonagall gasped, outraged.

"Alas, I believe it to be true," sighed Dumbledore. "I'll alert the Aurors as soon as we are done here. And speak with Cornelius. He will not be pleased, but he should not be able to ignore it, and once more I find myself without a Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor. And it's only November, I do believe that's a new record."

The transfiguration professor glared at the Headmaster. "Albus, that's not our main concern at the moment. Are you alright, Lil-?" That question more than anything showed that the witch was already beginning to believe Loki about being Lily, despite the hesitation on the name.

He nodded. "I'm fine. You may call me, Lily, Professor. It is my name, though if you prefer Loki, you have my permission to use that too." Loki handed the cage over to Professor Flitwick, who looked at the toad inside it with distaste.

"She's a vile woman and she makes a vile amphibian too," he said, "I think it was a blessing that she showed her true colours this soon. Who knows what she might have done to the school otherwise."

"Very true, Filius, though I'm still sad that it came to this," Dumbledore said.

Severus had remained silent through it all, standing at the edge of the group, a brooding expression on his face.

"Now with that unpleasantness done, perhaps I can continue the explanation without being interrupted. I am the Lily Potter who you all knew  _and_  I am Loki son of Odin. I am both, whether you believe it or not. What you need to understand is that being transformed into a human is not something which is unusual. It's not done often, but it happens every now and then. I was sent to Earth as a punishment. My father wished for me to learn a lesson, he wished for me to obtain greater respect for women," here he sent a smile in McGonagall's direction.

The transfiguration professor looked both amused and exasperated at that, something the woman associated much more with James Potter and his friends than with Lily. She would have to get used to it though, with Lily also having a second identity with a reputation as a trickster.

"I lived my life, never knowing or suspecting who I truly was. I did die. Lily Potter died and my consciousness, all of my memories were returned to my true body. The spell which made this second life possible is no simple magic and for these past fourteen years I have been asleep as the memories of my life on earth were assimilated to the whole. I came here as soon as I could, not saving a single moment and as I said before, I have only one goal with my visit, to see my-" Loki interrupted himself. "We have company."

His eyes fixed on a spot where he could notice the air bending in a way it shouldn't. Despite having changed his appearance to that of Lily, he had made sure to retain his advanced senses, and his gaze was sharp. There were three figures were spying on them, hidden by a spell. They would doubtlessly have succeeded in their endeavour was it not for that he had seen something moving in the grass, drawing his attention in their direction. He looked at the figure at the back, moving his hand to force the spell concealing them to fall away, as they appeared he could feel his heart begin to beat at an increased pace.

They were three boys, students at the school, and the one he was looking at was heartbreakingly familiar. Behind a pair of glasses, a pair of green eyes was staring back at him, wide with shock. On his head rested a familiar mop of messy black hair. Everything about him was familiar. He looked nearly exactly like James had at that age. It shouldn't be possible. It was Harry, no doubt about it, but he shouldn't look like that. The spell he had cast all those years ago, to hide his son's true appearance, should have failed a long time ago. It was not designed to be long lasting or strong enough to grow with him as he turned older. Neither should it have been able to keep his Asgardian heritage secret, it should have shined through.

"Harry," Loki whispered, and only Thor heard him for at the same time professor McGonagall had begun to shout at the boys, calling their names, marking the other two boys as both being named Weasley, and demanding to know what they thought they were thinking, sneaking outside when the Headmaster had told all students to remain in the castle.

"Is it him?" Thor asked, keeping his voice low, showing remarkable subtlety for once.

"It has to be, he looks just like James, my – the man I was married to. I don't understand why he looks like him though. I did place a spell on him, because even as a newborn he looked too much like you for it not to be obvious," Thor beamed at hearing this, making Loki want to roll his eyes again, "but it should have failed a long time ago. There is more to this, and I need to find out what."

"Of course."

Meanwhile McGonagall was still lecturing the boys, taking house points and threatening with numerous detentions. The three teenagers had walked up to them as she screamed. Harry didn't appear to be paying any attention to her however. He was staring at Loki with near startling intensity.

"Who are you?" he asked voice soft and full of suspicion. He had drawn his wand, pointing it right at Loki's heart, making him proud. It was not the way he had pictured seeing his son again, yet it calmed him to know that he could and would protect himself.

"Hello, Harry," he said, smiling gently, feeling the love of a parent - of a  _mother_  - welling up inside of him.

"You can't be her," Harry said. "You look like her, but you're not her. I- My mother is dead. I know she is."

"I don't know for how long you have been watching us, how much you have seen. Magic can explain much. Death is indeed final, I won't dispute that. Nothing can bring back to life, that which has crossed over, but I never crossed over, not in the normal sense. My body died and my spirit returned to where it had once come from. I  _am_  Lily Potter."

"No," the boy shook his head. "Who are you?" He was still holding his wand in a firm grip, ready to cast a spell at the first sign of hostile intention from anyone.

Loki moved slowly, deliberately, stepping forward and raising his hand, planning on having Harry lower his wand. When he touched the wood he twitched. A golden strand of magic burst from the tip and struck him.

"W-what? I-I didn't-" Harry stuttered, giving away that he had not intended to do anything. Behind them the group of on lookers startled as well.

"Brother?" Thor boomed, anxious to do something, but not willing to strike at Harry. There was no enemy here he could see or understand. He had already seen Loki attacked once this evening, he didn't enjoy seeing it happen a second time.

"Potter, what have you done now?" Snape was sneering

Loki closed his eyes, ignoring them for now. He was not hurt, he was remembering. The magic of the wand, held in its core, was helping him regain one last memory. He remembered that his spirit had been called to earth recently for a brief moment, appearing in spectral shape. He remembered Harry looking at him, scared, pale and shiny with sweet, his clothes dirty and covered in blood, arms shaking as he held on to his wand with all his might. He remembered seeing Voldemort looking more monstrous than ever before and the golden light connecting their wands, forming a cage-like dome around them as they floated in the air. He remembered it all happening in a grave yard. He remembered speaking with Harry, reassuring him.

He opened his eyes, gasping. "Oh, Harry, sweetheart," he whispered, and uncaring about the fact that the boy didn't trust him, did not want the reassurance from him, thought him to be someone using the form of his mother for unknown ends, he wrapped his arms around Harry, holding him tight. He didn't care about their audience either. The teen was stiff in his embrace and did not relax.

"I'm so, so glad that you are alright. The wand, it showed me, it helped me regain a last memory. You were so brave, facing him, holding on while all that magic erupted around you and never giving up hope. I'm so proud of you. You don't need to worry about anything anymore. Voldemort will never touch you again or hurt anyone again, this I promise."

"What are you saying?" Harry asked. "I don't understand. How can you know?"

"Because what you see is the truth. I am your mother, Harry. I was there in the Grave Yard."

"How is it possible?"

Dumbledore chose that moment to clear his throat and draw attention to himself. Loki reluctantly let go of Harry to look at the Headmaster. "It seems as if you are well on your way to convincing young Mr. Potter of your identity. Perhaps we should move this conversation inside?"

"Headmaster, surely you do not believe any of this?" Severus said, and by now Loki was beginning to lose his patience with the man. He knew that the suspicion was well founded. He had been prepared for it as soon as he saw his childhood friend. He had been willing to deal with it, but once he had met Harry he found that he no longer was willing to stand for any delays.

He turned to the man and glared at him. "Severus Tobias Snape," he said. "I do not expect you to believe anything. I do not expect you to be happy to see me," that seemed to have an effect on the man, who recoiled slightly, "I do however expect you to listen very closely now. I never stopped considering you a friend, even with what happened. I forgive you for calling me a mudblood and I hope that one day you will call me a friend again."

His words stunned Severus into silence.

"Headmaster, could we please make use of your office?" He didn't actually wait for the man to reply. "Thank you. Thor, grab my arm."

"Are you using that trick again, because if so, I would prefer walking," his brother replied suspiciously.

"No, we're not apparating."

"Ah, good."

He reached out and touched Harry's shoulder at the same time as Thor touched his other arm, and with a thought he transported them to Dumbledore's office.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN 16th June 2014
> 
> I have a book recommendation for you. If you want to know the stories of Norse Mythology, but can't be bothered to read the Poetic Edda, you might want to read The Gospel of Loki by Joanne M. Harris. It's a retelling of Norse Mythology, as narrated by Loki. I've read about half the book and I've laughed a lot doing it, Loki is so funny. And the gods are ridiculous, like seriously so ridiculous. This is where I got the story about a goat and a rope and Loki being tied by …eh (I won't spoil it for you) from (how many of you know this story?)
> 
> I hope you enjoyed the chapter, let me know what you thought!


	4. Chapter 4

Harry was at a loss for words. He hadn't even begun to understand what was happening before the two strangers – one of which apparently, probably, maybe, was his not so dead mother – and he were standing in the Headmaster's office. It had happened as smoothly as if it hadn't happened at all. One second they were outside and the next they were the office and all of the portraits of the old headmasters adorning the walls were screaming.

"Quiet!" Lily shouted. She had an impressive set of lungs Harry noted idly; too much in shock to be more affected than to simply note it. The portraits startled and fell abruptly silent; the lack of noise left a ringing in Harry's ears. "Thank you," she continued sweetly, giving them a smile to match, she suddenly reminded him much more of the photographs he had seen of her, warm, kind and beautiful, not frightening or intimidating. "I have the current Headmaster's permission to make use of this office, and I kindly ask you all to leave. The conversation we will be having is private. Thank you."

"They talk," the blond man said in awe, turning a full turn to look at all the paintings. "Brother, the portraits talk!"

"Yes, we do," said one of the headmasters self-importantly giving tall-and-blond a scathing look. Harry glanced at the plaque under his portrait.  _Phineas Nigullus Black_. Well, that was interesting. One of Sirius' relatives had been Headmaster at the school. "And we will not leave, young miss." He wagged his finger at her. "We will not be driven out of our portraits by a girl who barely looks to be out of Hogwarts!"

"You've gone senile, Black," a female Headmaster with a mass of curly gray hair said gruffly. "Don't you recognize her? She was Head Girl nearly twenty years ago, always visiting Dumbledore getting praise for her work, she was." The witch moved to the edge of her frame, appeared in the portrait next over, and continued until she appeared in the portrait of the Headmaster who had protested. "We're leaving," she said, grabbing his arm none too gently. He made a sound of protest. "The woman asked nicely, so we are leaving," the female headmaster continued sternly. Under protests she then proceeded to drag Headmaster Black out of his portrait, through many more, in which the other headmasters were leaving as well, and then they were all alone in the circular room.

"That went more smoothly than I had anticipated," Lily – because what else could he call her in his head? – commented. Silence followed during with the three people, looked at each other, or well, Harry mostly watched the woman who looked like his mother, and the two others studied him.

"I have a lot of explaining to do," Lily said eventually, breaking the silence that had begun to grow oppressive. She moved her hand and the chair that was standing in front of the Headmaster's desk, split into three identical ones and floated behind each of them. "Please, sit down," she said, and did so herself. "I imagine that you have a lot of questions, and if you ask I will do my very best to answer."

Harry gingerly sat down at the edge of the plush chair – nothing but plush chairs could be found in Dumbledore's office. He didn't know if he believed her, but it wasn't as if he could refuse to sit down. He didn't doubt that she and the man were dangerous. The way she used magic was unlike anything he'd ever seen in how effortlessly she did it and the man looked like he could take the castle apart with his bare hands if he wanted to and he had that huge hammer to help him. So far they had not made any hostile moves and playing along would hopefully keep it that way. He didn't know what he was dealing with here so his best bet would be to wait for help. Also, as long as they concentrated on him, they wouldn't be a threat to any of the other students.

"Why does he," he waved vaguely in the blond man's direction, "call you  _brother?_ " That had puzzled him. It made no sense, unless it meant something else or was some sort of title perhaps. They way the people of the Soviet Union party called each other  _comrade_.

"Ah, you arrived first after I… hmm… I see," Lily said. "Harry, do you remember how I said that my spirit returned to where it once came from when I died?"

Harry nodded. He remembered hearing her say something along those lines.

"You have also noted the ease with which I perform wandless magic?"

He nodded again. Oh yes, he had noticed that.

"This is because I am not human."

That was unexpected. "What?"

"Please don't interrupt right now; it will only make this more difficult."

He shut his mouth; he might also have glared a bit, though she didn't seem to mind.

"Thor," she gestured at the blond, "and I are both Asgardians, a people who are known here on Earth only in the legends of Norse Mythology. Are you familiar with the Norse Pantheon?"

"Not, really," Harry said, "I do know a little I suppose. Odin, Frey and Thor are some of the gods?" he asked, and glanced through the corner of his eye at  _Thor_.

"Yes," Lily said hurriedly before the blond man – Thor – could open his mouth and make an interjection of his own. "Thor is known as the God of Thunder, and," she paused and a grimace of distaste flashed over her face, "fertility among other. Odin is his and my father."

Harry frowned trying to think. So the two of them were related, brother and sister possibly, though that still didn't explain the  _brother_  thing. It could still be that Soviet thing, but it didn't seem likely. "So Thor is my uncle?" he asked hesitantly, looking at the man in question who was smiling encouraging at him.

"No, eh… Yes. Well, not exactly. It's complicated," Lily sighed and pushed her hair behind her ears. "Keep quiet!" she snapped her head up and bit out. Harry turned to look back at Thor who appeared to be physically restraining himself from speaking. "If your input is wanted I'll be sure to let you know."

"We have to tell him," the man said very seriously. "We cannot keep the truth from him."

"Yes, I know and we will. We just have to do it gently, not all at once. Can you imagine how overwhelmed he is already?"

"Aye, as you say, but we mustn't wait for long. I do not enjoy secrecy the way you do."

"I'm aware. And far be it for you to believe me, but I am not enjoying this particular secret either."

"What aren't you telling me? And…" he struggled to remember. He had done a project on Norse Mythology in school before he started Hogwarts, but that was years ago and the level of accuracy he would award to the books that he had read, which clearly were written for children, was not especially high. "I didn't know Odin had any daughters."

"He doesn't," Lily said softly. She looked uncomfortable; still he gave credit to her for not straying with her gaze. She looked him directly in the eyes as she spoke.

"But you..?" he left the question unfinished. He was beginning to feel like taking it all in stride might be the best solution. The ship to Strange Ville had already sailed and there was no way for him to get off, the harbour was already beyond the horizon.

"That's just it." She paused and her gaze intensified. "Harry, I am still your mother, but I'm also more than that. I know that this will be very difficult to accept, much of what you will be told today is, but I need you to be strong, okay?"

He nodded silently, his nails pressing hard against his palms as his fists tightened.

"When I died at Voldemort's hand, protecting you, I returned to Asgard and my true body. I had been sent to earth as a punishment. My father wished for me to learn a lesson, he hoped that living as a woman would make me respect them more."

"You're not a..?" Harry was just feeling out of his depth. He was beginning to feel seriously numb, as if he couldn't process any more information. He was still working on understanding that this was his mother - if she was his mother. And now?

A gentle glow spread over her, and she transformed, changing shape and appearance. It happened much more smoothly than when Tonks with her metamorphmagus ability changed. As the light dimmed a man was sat in the spot where Lily had been. Harry could venture to guess that he was as tall as Thor, so that marked him as tall. He had jet black hair, and pale skin. They eyes were still green, though not the same brilliant colour as previously.

"Who are you?" Harry repeated his question from when he first had confronted – this person.

"As you see me now, I am Loki,"  _he_  answered simply. "This however does not mean that I am not also Lily Potter. No matter what shape I am in, you are still my son."

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

Loki could tell that Harry was overwhelmed. His face was worryingly blank of emotions. Before the last revelation he had acted more like what could be expected. Wary, incredulous, curious and carefully polite. Now all of it was gone. He could understand that this was a lot to take in. He himself had experienced a minor breakdown as he woke up earlier that day remembering and understanding everything that had happened. From knowing that he had been punished to live as a woman, to realizing that he had unwittingly bedded his own brother. It was only an hour or so since that happened, and yet so much had happened.

"Please say something," he said after a long while, looking intently at his son. It was strange to see him all grown up when the child he had known only was a happy, chubby, toddler who enjoyed getting tickled and insisted on spearing his face full of sticky, fruit puree every time he ate. Despite this he knew who Harry was and reconnecting had not been difficult. It had happened instinctually, as naturally as breathing. Harry did not have the same advantage.

"I don't know what to say," Harry murmured. "This is all incredible." His face still blank, the boy began to laugh brokenly. "All my life I wished that some relative of mine would turn up, someone who wanted me for me and who could be my family. If you really are my mother, then you know your sister. Aunt Petunia isn't family to me, and that was her decision, not mine."

"I know," Loki said softly, "and I'm sorry about that. I'll be having words with her soon enough."

"Well, if you are a god, why didn't you come sooner?" Loki could sense a shift happening in Harry. He was getting angry. He knew the signs both from knowing himself and from having seen Thor angry a fair number of times. "If you are a god, then why did I have to live with relatives who would have done anything to get rid of me? Who ignored me as much as they possibly could and took every opportunity to let me know that I was not wanted?" The boy's voice had risen steadily as he asked his questions.

"Harry," he said soothingly, "I  _couldn't_  come. I wish I could have been there for you, more than anything. But it wasn't possible. I came as soon as I could. I promise you that I didn't wait a moment longer than what was necessary."

"I still don't understand. I don't know anything about you. I know nothing of this Asgard place or what you are capable of. I barely know anything of you as Lily either. I don't know  _you._ "

It hurt to hear it. Same as it hurt Harry to not know his parents. The truth often hurts. "I know. I know this is hard and I can only tell you how sorry I am that it has ended up like this. If you give me time and patience I will try to explain and if you allow it I will try to get to know you and allow you to know me. What do you say, Harry? Will you give me a chance?"

"I-" the anger was still there, but it was tempered by other emotions. "I don't know. I waited so long. I though I had given up. I have Sirius and while that might not work out the way we'd hoped…"

"What about Sirius?" Loki got very interested at hearing this. He didn't know what had happened to any of the people he had left behind after his death, other than what Heimdall had told him and what he had seen since arriving at Hogwarts. Sirius should have looked after Harry, that had been the plan. James had wanted it and had made him Harry's godfather, yet it had been Petunia who Harry ended up with, still it seemed as if the man had somehow reappeared in Harry's life in later years.

"It's kind of a long story. I think you owe me to tell me yours before I tell any of mine."

"That's fair." Loki nodded. "Will you listen to what I have to say?"

"I- Yeah, okay. I'll listen."

He smiled warmly. "Thank you. Odin put a spell on me, which allowed me to live out a life as a human, you are with me so far?"

His son nodded.

"This spell is very advanced magic and it comes with a set of restrictions and limitations. One of them is that once your mortal body dies it takes several years for your spirit to settle back into your original body, sometimes up to as many years as you lived. I woke up a mere hour ago. Thor can confirm this."

"It is true," Thor nodded. "My brother has been asleep for many years, only today did he wake, and the first thing he did was to inform me of your existence."

"Okay, so you couldn't come, but if you are gods, shouldn't your family know what happened? Or are there any more limitations that I don't know of?"

Loki grimaced. "To this I have no satisfactory answer. Everything does point to that our father must have known of your existence. I have yet to confront him about this. As I said I came here directly after waking. I believe that he knew about you, and I am very displeased that he did not intervene. If my will had been done you would have been brought to Asgard, to be raised amongst your own people."

"My people?" Harry's face went blank again, while Loki could see emotions running rampart under the surface. The youth seemed to be working out what this meant. "I-I…" he stammered. "I'm not human, am I?" The question was whispered and his face had turned pale.

"No, I do not believe so." Loki longed to reach out and comfort him, but he didn't think that the gesture would be welcomed, so he refrained. "I may have been in human shape while I carried you, but I am of the firm belief that you would still have inherited some of my true form, as for your father..." He trailed off and paused, he didn't know how to say this. He didn't want to acknowledge it, but he had to. Harry deserved to know, and Thor deserved it too.

"What about him?"

Sighing he began to speak again. "Harry, there is a second part to the spell which is very important. Some Aesir are put on earth to learn lessons, but once that life is over there should be nothing tying us back. In the past such connections have driven the Aesir mad with grief and longing as the life they knew is gone. To prevent the same anguish the first ones experienced the spell is designed to not allow us to have children. Yet you exist."

"Great more things to make me special," Harry muttered. "Defying more laws of magic."

"Yes, you are special, though not quite in the way I believe you imagine. This is not as with the Killing Curse. Though that is not quite as strange as everyone believes either. Your heritage protects you, softens the effect of the curse. We can discuss that more at length later. If I do not continue my story I might lose the nerve." He wouldn't really lose his nerve, but claiming weakness could have its uses. Harry nodded for him to go on.

"I hope you won't judge me too hard for what I am about to tell you now. When I found out that I was unable to have a child, the healers telling me and James that something was wrong, though they couldn't say what, and muggle doctors seeing that there was something wrong with my gametes."

Harry looked vaguely questioning at that.

And Loki had to give a wry smile. "I don't suppose someone's had the  _talk_ with you?"

Harry made large eyes. "I know enough," he hurried to say, "no need to tell me anything. I get what you were saying. Gametes." He nodded vigorously.

Loki snickered lightly at his reaction. It was so typical of a teenager. "No need to be so worried about it," he assured with a smile. "I won't torture you needlessly. I was young once too and highly uncomfortable when my parents, that is the parents I share with Petunia, sat down to tell me all about the birds and bees."

Thor all the wile looked confused. Loki knew that it was because he wasn't familiar with the way people on Midgard talked about this topic, what with  _the talk_  and even the  _birds and bees_  analogy. If he had known what they were actually saying Loki figured that he would have had a different colour on his face, before shrugging it off and beginning to ask Harry about any girls he might have on his list of conquests. It was just as well that he didn't understand. This wasn't the time for that sort of talk.

"When James and I realized that we would not be able to have a child, it was a hard blow for us. We wanted to start a family together. I am sure you know what pureblood wizards are like, James was not as bad as most of them, but he still wanted to continue his line. He wouldn't give up on me even though I wouldn't be able to give him a child though. This made me feel guilty and I contemplating leaving him so that he could find happiness with another woman. After a few months of walking on glass around each other I'd had enough. I told him that I needed time alone to think, to come to a decision. Even if we loved each other a lot, we might not be able to make each other happy and I had to decide what the best was for both of us."

Harry nodded for her to continue, while Thor was looking uncomfortable and excited at the same time, knowing what was coming up in the story.

"I travelled. I ended up in a bar the first night, trying to find some consolation in alcohol." He gave his son a sheepish smile. "Drinking is never a solution, but as far as I knew I had never tried it and I thought I might as well give it a  _shot_." He smiled again at his own pun, seeing Harry give in and return it, making his own smile grow in intensity, before he turned serious again.

"I met a man that night. Though I had never seen him before I felt as if I knew him. I know why I felt that way now. We spent the night together. I left in the early morning, consumed by guilt."

The look Harry was giving him now was not a kind one.

"I understand if you resent me for what I did, Harry. Yet I cannot regret it since you would not be here if I hadn't misstepped the way I did. You see, the spell only accounts for human partners. James Potter is not your father. The man I met that night is."

"What! No. No, no, no. This is a joke, a very bad joke. Everyone keeps telling me how much I look like him!" Harry exploded.

"And you do!" Loki hurried to say, calming him before the eruption could turn for the worse. "But it the way you look isn't the truth. It's magic making it so."

"Magic? What do I look like then?"

"I don't know, but we can find out. You shouldn't look like James as it is. The spell I placed on you when you were newborn should have dissolved long ago. Something more has happened, and I think that it is very important to find out what that something is."

"Yes, it sounds bloody important!" Harry had risen to his feet and was waving his arms around. The anger was the dominant emotion on his face again. "But more importantly; if James Potter isn't my dad, who the hell is? Some stranger in a bar, who concluding from what you've told me isn't human!"

"Ehum," Thor cleared his throat, drawing Harry's attention, and Loki knew that there would be no helping it this time. He had been leading up to the revelation; he might as well let the idiot be the one to say it.

"What?" Harry snapped, when Thor wasn't immediately forthcoming with what he wanted to say.

"What are you hesitating for now? You were eager enough to say it moments ago," Loki sneered.

"So I can say it?"

"Can you say what?" Harry pressed and in that moment he looked a lot like Loki, it was certainly helped by the fact that they both had dark hair and green eyes, other than that they weren't very similar in appearance as Harry seemed to completely favour the man he had believed to be his father.

"Harry," Thor said, tone very serious and calm, "it is I, who am your father."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope you enjoyed the chapter. If you have any thoughts or comments, please let me know!


	5. Chapter 5

Thor watched Harry, after he told him the truth. The boy's eyes had gone large, behind the glasses – he could remember what they were from the time he had last visited Midgard, when he met Lily, or Loki as it turned out, though he still thought them strange. His son's skin went sickly white and his breathing turned loud. Other than that he did nothing. He simply stood there, breathing and starring into space, showing no sign of awareness of what was going on around him.

"Harry," Thor tried to say, but Loki shushed him.

"Be quite for now, you've done enough damage for today. Give him a moment."

He did as he was told. He knew that his brother had better understanding of what was going on and he had to agree that it did seem like chock.

However something changed, not visibly, yet palpable. He tensed on the chair he was seated on as he felt an electrical charge start to build in the air. Small sparks began to jump from Harry's skin, bright and short lived, like the sparks for a fire, dying as soon as they leave their source.

"Loki," he said imploringly. He needed answers.

"Shut up!" Loki was looking intensely at Harry, probably thinking hard, and deciding between several possibilities to determine what was going on.

Clenching his jaw Thor continued to do as his brother said. He didn't like it. He didn't know what was going on with Harry; he only knew that he wished to act. He would have already if he only knew what he could do to help. He kept his mouth closed and watched.

The sparks on the boy's skin were growing in size, and items all over the room were beginning to rattle slightly. Still they only sat there watching. Thor tapped his hand against his thigh, feeling the tension growing in his muscles. Something wasn't right and they should take action. Harry was their son, and they were allowing him to stew, not trying to sooth him. It was wrong. As an inkwell on the desk shattered, spraying dark blue ink all over Thor had had enough.

"Harry!" he said, much louder than last time. There was no reaction. He made to get up, but Loki reached out, grabbed his arm and forced him to remain seated. "Loki, tell me what's going on! Now!"

"No time to explain. Simply do as I say. It's important that you do if we want to keep him safe."

"Fine." He was not pleased by it, but since it was their son it concerned – and that was still a very strange concept, that the two of them were the parents of a child – he would do what he had to. Loki was better equipped at handling this, he knew. He waited to be told, and he didn't have to wait for long.

"Get out!" Loki said harshly, having come to a decision. He was weaving through the air with his hands, in what Thor recognized as being the beginnings of complicated magic.

"But-" he protested, how could he be of use if he wasn't there?

"Out!"

He took one more look around the room and at Harry. Items all around the circular chamber were shaking as if the earth was quaking and some of them shattered as he watched. Harry was still very and pale, his eyes vacant and his skin buzzing with electricity, he was swaying slightly on his feet. Reluctantly Thor went to the door he had spotted at one end of the room. He took one last look at the two people in the room – his family – before he opened the door and went outside. It shut behind him, Loki's work no doubt. He would move no further though, he'd be ready to go back inside if Loki decided that he was needed, or that he himself felt that he would be of use.

His plans were changed though as the stone beneath his feet began to move, the staircase revolving and brining him down without his consent. It managed the feat of moving faster than he could climb it and he had to admit defeat and allow it to bring him where it wanted. It stopped abruptly once he had been taken all the way down, making him stumble slightly, and that one step he needed to regain his balance had a guardian of stone place itself between the sitars and him, cutting off his access. He was not amused.

"You will move," he growled at the stone creature, which admittedly was severely ugly and fairly intimidating – though not enough to intimidate him, "or you will be  _removed_."

It said nothing. Still, mute and defiant.

He raised Mjolnir in challenge. Nothing would stand between him and his son if he thought that Harry needed him – which he did think.

"Mr. Odinson," he turned around and saw that the old man Loki called Dumbledore or Headmaster was standing there, peering at him over the top of a pair of glasses. "If it is all the same to you, I would prefer if the guardian could remain in one piece. Should you need access to my office again simply say  _Chocoballs_." As the man with the long silver beard said the strange word the gargoyle jumped to the side.

Thor glared at it, before turning to the man once more. "Thank you," he said tensely. He was not certain what he though of the man. Or any of the people who had come outside to investigate the arrival of Loki and him.

"You are welcome," the man said, his beard twitching as he smiled.

Thor looked at the stairs again, wanting to keep an eye on the guardian which he did not trust. He was also deciding if he should remain and talk, or if he should run up the stairs and take up his vigil by the door.

The old man was alone now, which made things a bit easier as far as conversation might go. The dark man his brother had said to be a friend wasn't there, he felt that it was good. He hadn't liked his countenance; harsh and suspicious and with lingering darkness. It was also a good thing that the loathsome woman who had been turned to a small amphibian was not present. Loki may have punished her, but Thor wouldn't mind the opportunity to do so himself. The other two people present he had got fairly good first impressions of. He had noticed that Loki respected them, and it had pleased him that the small man knew who he was.

As for this old man, he reminded him of his father, calm with hidden power. Wise, with more knowledge than anyone but they would ever know. All this knowledge made them aloof and unapproachable, separating them from normal people. Wise, but never perfect, always seeing the large image and missing the details. Men such as them you should know to be wary of. They deserved respect, but you must always be aware of any hidden agendas they might have.

"Will you need my office for much longer?" the man asked politely.

"It is possible," he answered, proud that he could be evasive. Loki always underestimated him. He might have given his brother cause for thinking little of him, but he could talk his way out of problems too when needed.

"Well then, I'll simply resume dinner then. I might be able to get another slice of kidney pie. Your brother should know where to find me once you are done." The man began to walk away, humming jovially under his breath as he went.

Thor spared him another glance, wondering if all magical mortals became eccentric once they got old, then he went back up the stairs to wait.

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

At first Loki only believed that Harry had gone into shock. The vacant eyes, the pallor and his audible breathing indicated it. Once magic began to play a part of it however he knew that it was more than that. Harry's magic was gearing up to protect him against any more threats. It worked more or less by the same principles as the brain does when it is overwhelmed, making you unconscious to protect itself against any more input. Here it was going to the extra level, making Harry unaware and scanning for threats.

Harry's magic was getting ready to remove anything that would upset him more. It would lash out with force, which was why he needed Thor gone. He would be of no use; he would only be one more thing Loki needed to protect once the discharge happened. He began weaving a protective spell with Thor still in the room. When the oaf pestered him for information he made sure that he knew that he wasn't wanted. After that he stopped paying attention to Thor. If he was gone; great. If not; he only had himself to blame if he got hurt.

Several silvery items standing on small tables with spidery legs exploded adding to the debris already on the floor, and the sparks erupting from Harry's skin were growing in size to become reminiscent of the lighting crackling around Mjolnir when Thor became especially upset while holding the hammer.

He finished the spell, knowing that everything should be contained in the room now, though that still left him vulnerable. He didn't think Harry would be able to harm him too badly though. It would take a lot to hurt him permanently, and a bit of discomfort he could take.

Now for the difficult part, to try and calm Harry down and prevent the magic from lashing out at all. He didn't know what the best way of doing it would be. He needed to reach through. He needed to appeal to something within Harry, something that would make him seem familiar and safe. If he could calm down, if the magic could be assured that there were no more immediate threats, it should retreat.

He thought about Sirius. Harry had admitted to knowing him, and he could be a potential adult Harry would trust without question. It would be easy to take on the man's appearance. It would be slightly more difficult to replicate his scent and his magic, but it could be done. However he didn't believe that Harry or his magic would appreciate the deceit. It might do more harm than good. He would therefore have to rely on himself. He was the boy's mother. He needed to convince Harry's magic of the fact, needed to remind it that he was safe, that he meant no harm and that he would protect Harry with all that he was.

He wanted Harry to know the real him, and though it was tempting to revert to the appearance of Lily where the sound of his voice and his smell might be able to ground him in memories of his young, nearly forgotten childhood, he decided that he should relay on his magic. It was Harry's magic that was rebelling and it should be able to recognize his signature as long as he wasn't actively cloaking it.

He rose from the chair for the first time, approaching Harry slowly, cautiously as if he was a wild animal or a bomb triggered to explode on sensing movement in the vicinity. With deliberate movements he reached out and touched his son's cheek.

The skin was smooth without any hint of stubble yet. His skin was also very warm, unnaturally so and he could feel the sparks that were leaping off of him speeding through his own body, trying to reach the ground. It didn't hurt much, though it was uncomfortable.

Harry's eyes gained some awareness, looking up at him with confusion. A spark of recognition made them light up, and Loki smiled in response, trying to look reassuring. "Do you know who I am?" he asked.

"Yes," Harry responded, but the spark had gone out again. His voice was distant, not fully aware. It was his magic more than Harry himself who responded. He was in a trance. It was the magic, or spirit or soul - whatever you wished to call the essence making up him - that was seeing through those emerald eyes recognizing him as Loki allowed it to search him. "You are safe," Harry – or it – said next.

"Yes, I will not hurt you."

"Need to be free."

"Free?"

It took him a moment to realize what it meant. Whatever was responsible for hiding Harry's true appearance was doing more than hiding what he looked like. It was repressing all of his Asgardian traits; strength, durability, magic. And his spirit wished to be free, wished to break the bonds. Once it had awoken, in a response to protecting Harry, it began to fight the restrictions.

"No," he said, shaking his head. "I can't allow that. It's too dangerous. Something can go wrong, and either way you will be overwhelmed. It has to happen slowly. You need time to grow used to your own abilities, to your own strength. Please listen to me."

He got no response. He could only watch as Harry's features began to blur. A separate image spread out from him as an overlay. The image distorted what Harry looked like. His jaw was changing shape, becoming broader. His nose became a little bit larger and his hairline lowered. The over lying shape stretched to become taller than Harry's physical form. It was not as tall as Loki, but from previously having reached his chin, the top of the image showing what Harry truly looked like was in level with Loki's eyes.

The image had broader shoulders than Harry too. Loki could see his brother in the new form, and himself as Lily. It made him want to allow the change to happen. The truth would help Harry believe them, would make everything they had claimed more credible, but he couldn't. It was too dangerous. Yet he did stand there watching, he wanted to see what his son truly looked like. He needed to see his fill so that he would be able to remember it in the years to come, for that was as long as it would take for Harry to shift safely.

The most obvious difference was his hair colour. The image did not have the black mop of unruly hair that Harry had so far shared with James. It was a soft brown, the colour Loki imagined Odin might have had in his youth, and it was falling in smooth waves into a pair of green eyes.

Loki shook himself to stop starring. He would have the chance to know Harry and his true looks later. He could wait the needed years. He had to and trying to see his fill now was irresponsible.

While the shift in appearance in itself was not all that dangerous – besides the complications it would add to Harry's daily life if he no longer looked like anyone remembered – but it would be putting a strain on him. Gaining height so suddenly, having everything you know about yourself taken away... It would be detrimental to allow it to happen. The knowledge the boy had gained about his identity were already more than enough. Besides if the magic was allowed its will, more of Harry's abilities would follow, and they too would come instantly, which could be very dangerous. He would have no control over his strength – physical or otherwise.

It had to be stopped, and he thought that he knew a way to accomplish it. He just didn't know if he would be enough to convince Harry's magic and spirit of that it was the best solution. Once the change was stopped it would me a lot more difficult to start it again and it was likely that the force he was dealing with had some primitive awareness of the fact.

"Harry," he said, softly, yet with heavy determination. "You need to listen to me." Two pairs of green eyes stared at him, looking through him. It was unnerving seeing his son's two forms at once, now that they were equally solid. "You are not ready for this. You need to take the time. You are breaking free because you are overwhelmed and scared. This will only add to that. You need to stop trying to break through. I will help you do it in a safe way in time. Please trust me. I only want the best for you."

His only response was the windows in the room breaking, glass exploding outwards with a bang.

Loki who had all along kept his hand on Harry's cheek let go of it and moved in a blur, pressing the smaller body against his chest, in an effort to contain it all with his own body. He reached out through every part of himself to try and make the angry and wild magic understand.

The sparks that were still erupting crackled against him, angrily as if they wanted the freedom they were being denied as his body engulfed Harry's. As a particularly strong chock made its way through him he realized what might do the trick.

He concentrated on the door, and forced it to open.

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

Patience had never been one Thor's strongest virtues, and standing on the landing outside the door waiting for Loki to tell him that he was allowed inside again was not something he enjoyed. It was tedious at the same time as it allowed his worry to grow to overblown proportions.

He couldn't hear a single sound from the other sound of the massive wooden door, that however was no comfort, because he knew that the lack of sound was because of a spell, not a testimony of actual silence. It allowed his imagination to run wild with possibilities of what might be happening.

He figured that Loki would tease him if he knew what he was imagining. It wasn't all that creative as he didn't have nearly enough knowledge about the workings of magic to come up with scenarios of what could be happening. He only imagined vague scenarios involving pain, injuries and danger.

He would have paced to settle his nerves, but the space that was to his disposal was too small to allow him to take more than one step in each direction and turning around in circles wasn't what he would call satisfactory. That left him standing there, clenching and unclenching his hands around Mjolnir's handle uselessly, sticking his nails into the buttery leather that was wrapped around the metal.

The time he had alone also allowed for him to think about the situation as a whole. Never in his wildest dreams could he have imagined that Lily was actually Loki and that a child would be the result of their meeting. It was too fantastical to fathom. And yet it was so. The two of them, brothers, had a son together, a boy who had already passed through childhood about to become a man.

Loki was right to blame their father for they way Harry's life had played out. He shouldn't have kept it a secret. It was equally true that Loki wouldn't have been able to play an active part in Harry's childhood, but the rest of his family could have. Surely their mother would have been able to care for a child in the instances where he might have failed as a father. And Odin was no stranger to fatherhood either. It did not add up.

What had the Allfather been thinking in leaving Harry on Midgard? The boy was his grandson. Doubly so. Though that might not be a good thing. Was that the reason? Thor didn't know, and not knowing made him uneasy. Their father was hiding something more, and that was never a good sign. A ruler is allowed his secrets, but the line has to be drawn somewhere, and Thor felt that they had long since moved passed what was acceptable.

Suddenly what he had been waiting for happened. The door to the circular room opened, hitting the wall next to it with a bang. He looked inside and instantly knew that things had not calmed down. Wind was rushing in through the windows where all the glass was gone, the air making a howling noise as it raced though the room, stirring up papers and making candles flicker, though not blow out – magic was keeping them lit, he concluded. Several of the paintings hanging on the walls – luckily still empty of their inhabitants – had gone crocked and one or two had even fallen to the floor, the nails holding them up sticking out crookedly.

Shards of shattered glass, metal and splinters of wood was spread on the floor along the edges of the room, books had fallen from shelves and in the middle of the disarray was Loki with his arms around someone who looked, and did not look like Harry.

Thor stared at the boy in his brother's arms. It was like looking at two people at once. Two people overlapping each other. It was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. He could see the youth that had been in the room where he left and another young man who looked very familiar, though he knew that he had never seen him before. He realized that he was seeing Harry's true form. For the first time he truly understood that he had a son. Seeing his features reflected in a younger face made it impossible to deny and his determination to do something strengthened.

"Don't just stand there gaping like an oaf," Loki said in a strained voice in the same moment, ironically enforcing Thor's own thoughts. He concentrated on is brother now, seeing that he was in pain. His brow was furrowed, his lips pressed together, and sweat was making his skin shiny. "I opened that door for a reason," Loki continued acidly, as if he truly believed that Thor was to dim witted to understand anything. Tiny lightning bolts were erupting from his back as he spoke, their source being Harry and Thor knew that energy of any large quantity would hurt anyone who wasn't used to it the way he was.

"What do you need me to do?" he asked urgently, stepping closer, coming to stand next to the pair with a couple of long strides.

"Grab my hands."

He did as told, and together the moved so that their arms formed a circle around Harry.

"Contain the electricity," Loki commanded him next.

As he hadn't let go of Mjolnir that was easy enough. Concentrating on what he wanted to do, he made the hammer absorb all of the electrical charges, drawing them in and neutralizing them. Loki breathed a little bit easier after that he noted, pleased.

"Now I need you to think of safety, in protection."

"Why?"

"Don't ask idle questions!" Loki snarled through clenched teeth, looking up briefly to glare at him. "You need to convince Harry that you will protect him, that you mean him no harm. If you feel it, also try to convince him of your love. This is not something that can be done with words; it has to be on a deeper level. Close your eyes and concentrate."

Thor knew better than to say anything this time, either to protest or ask for clarification. He had to trust Loki on this matter. And he did. He had been able to see that he cared about Harry and he would want what was best for the boy. Had the circumstances been different he might have hesitated, but this time he didn't. He closed his eyes as ordered and searched inside himself. He drew on his honour, on the protectiveness he felt for the people of Asgard and also of Midgard. He concentrated on wanting them all to be safe and happy. He went further by concentrating on family, adding Harry to that picture now. His mother, his father, his brother, and his son. He wished them to be safe, and would do everything and anything in his power to keep them thus.

"What in all of Helheim?" Loki gasped and Thor opened his eyes.

A new shape was beginning to form next to them, drawing substance and energy from Harry. It happened quickly. What had only been a shadow when Thor opened his eyes was a man with pale skin and dark hair the next heartbeat. His face looked distorted and his eyes were red and gleaming with malice.

"Voldemort," Loki hissed, his tone harsh and filled with so much hate that it made Thor recoil. "Hit it!" he screamed next.

Thor didn't hesitate. He let go of his brother, breaking the circle. He grabbed the handle to Mjolnir with both hands and swung the hammer at the ghostly shape. It passed through it, ripping it apart and as it did so the creature let out a long drawn, shrill shriek of pure rage and pain. It didn't end there though. As Thor made ready to swing the hammer again – this time crackling with lightning – it shrunk away. It retook the shape of a dark cloud and speed towards Harry and a strange scar the boy had on his forehead.

The shape gathered there, seeping inside and Harry screamed. It hurt Thor to hear it. There was so much anguish in that scream. It sounded as if the pain was equal to being ripped apart and once more he was filled with frustration and worry. He was unable to do anything. He couldn't hit the shade now without also hitting Harry.

The chaos that was surrounding them, with the wind, the electricity and the objects exploding rose to a crescendo as Harry screamed wordlessly in pain. Everything was torn to shreds and they could only stand there, in the eye of the storm, struggling to keep to their feet.

The dark shape kept rushing into the scar. Harry's second shape, the one showing what he would truly look like faded until it was no more. The tail end of the dark shape disappeared, and with it so did the rest of the chaos. Everything turned still. And Harry collapsed, his body limp. Loki reached out caught him before he could hit the floor.

With pieces of paper falling through the suddenly still air, Loki and Thor stood there, catching their breaths.

"I would wager that what just happened was a bad thing," Thor said numbly.

Loki gave him a look that said more than any words to convey how unnecessary and stupid he thought the statement to be. "Yes, this is very bad."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN 28th June 2014
> 
> Who predicted that this would happen? Anyone? No? Well, no one guessed that this would happen in their review, not exactly anyway. I read your reviews and I took a bit from all of them creating this as I wasn't decided on how exactly Harry would react. You guessed on explosions and on fainting. I guess you got both though in a different packaging.
> 
> Also, a lot of you thought of Star Wars at the end of the last chapter. I didn't. I've never seen Star Wars. But you didn't spoil anything for me, because I would have needed to have gone under ground years ago not to know how Darth Vader and Luke are related, and as you can see I have an internet connection.
> 
> And oh dear gods of my ancestors, I've been answering so many reviews! Thank you all for the shown support! If I missed you and you wanted an answer, please let me know. Also, if you keep this up I won't be able to answer everything. So how about you start your review by typing the letter "r" if you want me to respond. R for response. Sounds good?
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter, and as always please let me know what you thought!


	6. Chapter 6

"Sleep, you little willow young; yet it is the winter. Yet so sleep, birch and rose, hyacinth and heather. Yet it's long until the spring, ere the rowan flowers bring. Sleep, you little willow, yet it is the winter."

Harry recognized the melody, although he didn't know the words or the voice singing them. It was a nearly forgotten memory, like a pleasant dream disappearing when you wake, filling him with a sense of belonging and love. He felt safe and warm; more so than he could remember feeling.

"Eye of sunshine gaze at you; in sunshine's arms you rock. Soon will green the forest path, raising every bloom. Yet a little sunshine-plea; willow little, be so green. Eye of sunshine sees you; in sunshine's arms you rock." (*)

A hand was stroking through his hair, slowly and gently. It was soothing; nice. He didn't want to open his eyes as he felt so content, yet sleep was slipping from him. Soon keeping his eyes closed became a chore and he knew that he had no choice but to face the world. He stretched his arms and legs, feeling stiff sheets, and a soft pillow. He recognized the smell of the room. It was too clean. He was in the Hospital Wing. He couldn't remember why though.

The hand pulled away and the singing stopped. He opened his eyes and looked to the side where the voice had come from. All he could see was a human shaped blur, with a lot of green and black in the mix, sitting next to the bed. He reached for his glasses and the figure passed them to him, pressing them into his hands. With the lenses in front of his eyes he could see clearly again.

He recoiled, trying to get away. He remembered what had happened, and the sooner he could get away the better. It was all crazy. He got stuck in his sheets and fell of the bed on the other side. Before he could hit the floor a pair of strong hands caught him. Harry looked at who had caught him and saw the blond man from before. He began struggling again, more persistently. "Let me go!" he cried out.

"Harry," the dark haired man – Loki, he thought his name was – said. Harry looked at him, seeing that there was a hurt expression on his face, but he didn't care. These two people were insane and he didn't want to talk with them. He didn't care that they might be dangerous. He wasn't going to play along any more.

He kicked out with his feet, managing to untangle himself from the sheets, and he got his feet to the ground, getting better leverage to try and make the other man – Thor – release him. Thor was really strong though as he had suspected, the man's hands like vices around his arms. "Let me go!" he demanded again.

"Do as he says," Loki said emotionlessly.

"But- " Harry could feel the vibrations of the word as much as he could hear it.

"Restraining him will hardly earn us any trust."

The grip on his arms loosened, and Harry jerked free, stumbling several steps back. He didn't have his wand. He was in a blue and white striped pajama issued by Madam Pomfrey. He felt naked and vulnerable. What had happened? Why was he in the Hospital Wing? He couldn't remember anything after Thor had said that he was his father. And that could not be the truth. It was absurd.

"What do you want from me?" he asked shakily. "Why would you say that you are my parents? I- I don't know who you are, but you're insane if you expect me to believe anything you've said. I know who my parents were and they're dead!"

"Harry, please calm down," Loki said, rising from the chair he had been sitting on, next to the bed. That was not the right thing to do. The man was tall and Harry felt dwarfed by him, getting intimidated as he loomed over him, backing away further trying to keep the distance between them. He also felt sick knowing that it must have been him stroking his hair before, singing. They really must be crazy. This man truly believed that he had been Lily Potter.

"No, I'm not gonna calm down!" he shouted. "I want answers! Why would you tell me that you are my parents? Why would you want to hurt me like that? My parents are dead! They died to protect me! I will not allow you to destroy the memory of them! And you, you say you're brothers! You can't have a child together, that's not possible and… and it's sick!" he spat the words out.

"Mr. Potter, why are you out of bed?" Madam Pomfrey had come rushing out of her office, wand in hand, searching for any threat as he heard the raised voices.

"I'm not staying here!" Harry yelled. "Not with those two!" He gesticulated wildly in the direction of the two men, who'd been watching him sleep. That thought did not help Harry calm down.

"Fine!" she said with a brand of exasperation that she alone seemed to have mastered after trying to take care of stubborn children who got into weird accidents for twenty years. "Gentlemen, I will have to ask you to leave. Mr. Potter, get back in that bed this instant!"

"No! Not until they're gone!"

"Harry," Thor said, taking a couple of steps in Harry's direction.

Harry held up his hand, as if that would ward the man off. "Stay away from me!" He thought about running away, to go and hide in Gryffindor Tower. The Fat Lady would not let them in without the password, and if words came to worst he could fly his broom outside the window.

"Don't make me stun you, Mr. Potter! You will not leave, you are still not well!" Madam Pomfrey had apparently been able to tell what he was thinking about doing.

"It's fine, we'll leave," said Loki placatingly to them both. " _We_  will, leave, Harry. You don't need to go. We never wished to upset you."

Harry stared incredulously at the man. If they hadn't wanted to upset him, they had a strange way of showing it.

Madam Pomfrey huffed, seemingly in agreement with Harry on that point. "Be on your way then, Mr. Potter needs to calm down, and you are not helping."

Loki motioned for Thor to follow him, and the blond man followed him reluctantly, after looking at Harry once more with large blue eyes. Harry backed some more so that they would not stand in their path, making sure that there always was a large gap between them. They said nothing more as they left, only giving him sad looks, making Harry both pleased and disappointed. If they were his parents, if they believed that they were, wouldn't they fight for him? Apparently not.

"Get back in that bed this instant," Madam Pomfrey commanded him before the two men had completely excited the room, and keeping his eyes on them, so that he would know where they were Harry reluctantly followed her orders.

"How long was I out for?" he asked, setting himself on the bed, with a pillow propped up behind his back. The Matron handed him a second one, making him more comfortable.

"Three days, this time. I do not appreciate having you try to break your previous record of how long you can make your stays under my care."

"Three days?" Harry had not anticipated that. He didn't feel like he had been out for that long. "What happened?"

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips. "Shock, followed by magical exhaustion and a reaction to dark magic."

"What?" Harry could understand the first. Shock, most definitely. Now in hindsight, it all felt like a bad joke, to incredulous to be taken seriously, but at the time, he knew that something within him had burst.

"I would never have let those two stay with you, but the Headmaster insisted. It's their fault you are with me to begin with. No one will tell me exactly what happened; only that something they told you shocked you, making your magic react. You had a very large burst of accidental magic, hence the exhaustion, and that was further impaired by the presence of dark magic, though no one will say what the source for that was either besides it having something to do with you-know-who."

"Voldemort?"

She flinched. "Don't' say his name."

"Sorry," Harry wasn't sorry though. He was just annoyed at no one wanting to use Voldemort's name. "They won't tell you what happened? Why not?"

The woman sighed. "I don't know, Mr. Potter. I can only argue so long with the Headmaster."

"Okay. I suppose you can't help it if they won't tell you anything."

"Which is exactly why they should tell me." She huffed and gave him a glass of water, which he accepted gratefully, drinking it down.

"Mr. Weasley and Ms. Granger has been here to see you."

"Oh. Do you think they'll be back?"

She snorted out a small laugh. "I don't doubt it. Were it not for that I would drive them out when visiting hours are over, or that they have classes to attend they would still be here."

"And…" Harry swallowed, trying to get some moisture in his mouth which had gone dry despite the water he'd just drank. "And  _those two?"_ he said pointedly, sure that she would know who he meant.

"They brought you hear on Sunday night, it's Wednesday afternoon now, and they have barely left your side since. Besides that first evening. The Headmaster said that they were allowed access to you, that it was for your safety and that he could in no good conscience keep them away from you. The only thing that's kept me from chucking them out despite his word is that they seemed to have a positive effect on you. Their presence made you calmer, and as far as I could tell improved your recovery, until you woke up now that is." She gave him a look, and Harry had to break eye contact.

"When can I leave?" he asked, fidgeting with the covers that were lying next to him, or partly under him as it were.

"I want to keep you overnight for observation," Madam Pomfrey said, sounding more brisk again. "If you feel alright you can leave for classes in the morning."

Harry groaned. "I must have missed so much. Three days?"

"Ms. Granger will surely help you."

"Yeah. And…" he grimaced. He had missed his detention with Umbridge. The professor was sure to punish him for that. He likely had a whole new week of detentions to look forward to.

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

Three days earlier

"What do we do now?" Thor asked, and Loki sighed, bringing up his hand to cradle Harry's head so that it wouldn't hang limply. Small pieces of paper – or rather parchment were still falling through the air, some pieces were singed, the edges dark. He looked around the office, taking in the destruction that had been left in the wake of the fall out. Really the only thing left standing was the walls. Some of the items that were now lying in splinters all over the floor would be impossible to repair. Not that it bothered him much. From what he was beginning to understand, Dumbledore deserved that and more for his actions, and more to the point; inactions.

"We'll take Harry to the school's Hospital Wing. I think that there will be some time before he wakes up, and we should make sure that he is comfortable till then."

"Hospital?"

Loki gave an exasperated sigh. "Really? Are you so out of tune with the mortals? I remember you telling me that you had travelled the world for quite some time and it was not all that long ago." When Thor didn't show any hint of more understanding, Loki rolled his eyes. "Healers, Thor, hospitals have healers."

"Ah, that does sound advisable. We shall bring Harry to this  _Hospital Wing._ "

Loki rolled his eyes again.

His brother continued with a question. "Would you care to explain to me what that creature was?"

Loki sighed quietly, and began to walk. He could walk and talk at the same time, he wished for Harry to be looked over soon, and he did not trust his own assessment, he was no healer. "I am not completely certain," he answered. "I don't know how it could come out from Harry, if it used him as a gateway somehow or actually exists inside of him. What I can tell you is that I did recognize it. It was Voldemort and it has something to do with the scar." He brushed his fingers lightly over the curiously shaped scar on Harry's forehead. It was read and irritated, some blood had escaped from it as it cracked open when Voldemort forced his way back in through it.

They were standing on the stairs, which began to move down slowly. Loki noted that Thor was glaring at nothing as the stairs revolved and decided that his brother must have had some unfortunate interaction with the stairs. It would have made him smile in amusement and mockery were it not for the grave situation they now found themselves in.

"My knowledge of magic may be extensive, but my knowledge on the exact working on wizarding magic, especially the darker branches is limited," he admitted, though it displeased him to do so. Once more he found himself acting out of character on the account of Harry. He resigned himself to that this was a trend which was likely to continue.

"I only studied human magic for a few short years. Before my life as Lily I never bothered as the magic used in the other eight realms is of a far more powerful and practical nature in most cases, at least that was true until the time when most contact with Midgard stopped. From what I learned at my time at Hogwarts they have evolved some and there are witches and wizards capable of impressive magic. I don't know what it was we saw; only that it was bad as you so eloquently put it. Dumbledore will know more, and that does not make me happy."

"I met this Dumbledore while I was outside the study. He said that he would resume dinner and that you would know where to find him."

Loki nodded. "I know where he went, but first we take care of Harry."

"Agreed."

They walked down an empty corridor in silence. Portraits that lined their path gathered together in their paintings, whispering as they passed, and some followed, gossiping as they went.

"Is there some way to avoid being overheard? This place is very strange and we are being watched from every angle. I do not like it. I would like to continue our conversation, though only if it is safe."

Loki shifted his grip on Harry to have one of his hands free. He might not truly need hand movements to make magic work, but he was feeling slightly drained after administering the spell that had contained the destruction caused by Harry's magic to the Headmaster's office, and transferring their emotions to him in the effort to make him calm. Using hand movements and saying the incantation out loud, would spare him energy that he might come to need soon. "Muffliato," he muttered. The spell was of Severus' invention. The man had shared it whit him before they had their falling out. If he thought more about the man he would end up all maudlin, so he forced himself to not think any more about it once the spell was cast. "No one will be able to hear what we say now."

"Good. Who is this Voldemort? Heimdall mentioned him and I could hear the hatred you feel for the bearer of the name."

"He is the man who killed me and James Potter. He is what wizards call a Dark Lord, a man gifted with a lot of magical power, but also with hate and the ruthlessness to do anything to gain more power. He has also found some way to make himself impossible to kill, dark magic making it thus. I will have to do some research to find out more. Dumbledore will likely know more than he lets on, and Harry may very well be a wealth of information as well. If I hadn't regained one strange memory, I would have thought that we saw Voldemort's spirit emerging from Harry, yet I know that Harry faced him earlier this year. Voldemort is back in corporal form."

"What we do is that we find a way to kill him?"

"Yes, we find a way to kill him, permanently. I do not believe that it will be dangerous for you or me, or even too difficult. Only lengthy as it will take time to research what means he used to buy immortality for himself."

"What you are saying is that I will be of little use."

Loki suppressed a sigh. "Is glorious battle all you care about?"

"No."

"It sounds that way. Our son is being targeted by a mad man who has put terror in the magical mortals for nearly one of their lifetimes, a dark wizard who has come back from the dead and you are concerned with this not being a situation where your brawn is needed?"

"No! Loki, why must you think the worst of me?"

"Do not pretend like you were disappointed when we first arrived and I said that the people approaching weren't enemies? You thrive when fighting; you are always looking for _glorious_ battle!"

"As you say!" Thor gesticulated widely, irritably. "I am good at fighting, and I enjoy it, I will not deny it. There is no need for me to deny it! I can however have more than one reason for wanting something. I fight to protect our people, not simply to find honour and glory and I am upset that I will not be able to help protect our son! I will have to stand by the sidelines watching you do everything to take down this enemy. I am not comfortable with inaction."

"I'm sure we'll find something for you to do," Loki said patronizingly, not impressed by the short speech, speeding up and leaving Thor to follow in his wake, glaring at his back.

_\- Conceiving the Impossible-_

They arrived at the Hospital Wing, not haven spoken any more on the way there, Thor still seething silently because Loki wouldn't listen to him and Loki not caring about that one bit. They walked inside and Loki placed Harry down on an empty bed. Before he needed to call for assistance the nurse came bustling out of her office. He recognized Poppy Pomfrey from his own school days, but he didn't let it be known. It was already too much that he had told five faculty members about being Lily Potter.

"Oh, dear! What has happened?" she asked, seeing Harry unconscious on the bed.

"Accidental magic," Loki choose as an explanation. When you lie it is always best to incorporate the truth. "Very strong accidental magic."

"I see," she waved her wand over Harry. "Some space please!"

Loki backed away and with this hand on Thor's shoulder made him do the same. He watched her cast an array of diagnostic spells, waiting patiently, though Thor wasn't showing the same calmness. He was twitching under Loki's hand, which was kept in place to restrain him.

"What happened to him?" Madam Pomfrey asked. "There are traces of Dark Magic in his system, and nerve damage. This wasn't simply a case of accidental magic. And who are you?" Her wand was held easily at her side, not threatening, yet ready to be used if needed. Loki understood that she hadn't bothered with them until she had seen to her patient, but now that she had her attention was on them.

"I am Loki, and this is my brother Thor. We are here on the invitation of the Headmaster."

"Is that so?" Her eyes were narrowed.

"Yes."

"He hasn't mentioned visitors at the school."

"We arrived recently."

"And why is it you who brought Mr. Potter to me? In this condition?"

He walked closer to the Medi-Witch, and leaned in, giving her an impression of furtiveness and secrecy that she had been chosen to be a part of. It also put her attention strictly on him so that Thor's lack of ability to keep his face from showing what he was thinking wouldn't mess up his plan. "You know that You-Know-Who is back?" he asked her in a low tone. "You know that Mr. Potter saw him reborn?"

She stared at him and nodded minutely. "The Headmaster has told us what happened and I believe him."

Loki nodded. "That's right. We, Thor and I, are here to help Mr. Potter learn how to defend himself. He may be young know, and protected for now, but there will come a day when he will have to fight. You-Know-Who won't have it any other way. Our introduction with Mr. Potter became a bit more violent than I would have wished for as we told him a few truths. You might also be aware of the connection between Mr. Potter and You-Know-Who?"

She nodded.

"His accidental magic stirred up that connection. That is likely the cause of the nerve damage and the dark magic."

Madam Pomfrey did not look pleased, but neither did she look hostile. "I understand. I will take your word for it for now, but I will be asking the Headmaster for confirmation."

"Of course," he put a bit of distance between them again. "I would expect nothing less, madam. Will Mr. Potter be alright?"

"He will be fine. He only needs rest. I will administer a potion to help with the nerve damage and then all that can be done is to wait for him to wake up. The Dark Magic should dissipate on its own in time, and hopefully there will be no ill effects. I'll keep an eye on him and do what I can."

"Good, the Headmaster will be pleased to hear it. We should go tell him what has happened."

She nodded. "If you don't want to draw attention from the students it might be advisable to change into more neutral clothing," she advised, before turning her back and going over to a cabinet which Loki remembered held potions when he had attended the school."

Loki grabbed on to Thor's arm once more. Harry was in good hands, and they had a conversation that could not be postponed waiting for them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AN 2nd July 2014
> 
> Ah, Thor and Loki banter is always fun, though it's difficult to make it as good as on screen. Hemsworth and Hiddleston have such amazing chemistry that written words can't compare whit (I kind of look forward more to Thor 3 than Avengers 2 because of that), but it's enjoyable to try. And we also got a bit more fleshed out reaction from Harry. He's not accepting this at false value, and it will take some time for him to be okay with everything. I'll try not show too much of his angst and indecisiveness though, only enough to make it interesting.
> 
> The confrontation with Dumbledore will happen next chapter. I look forward to that =)
> 
> Halfway through working on this chapter, I started feeling like something was off about the chapter. Can't pin point it though and I know that I'll only end up not working on it if I try to rewrite it. Hopefully I'll feel better about the next chapter.
> 
> As always I hope you enjoyed the chapter. Start your review with an "r" if you wish me to respond. Till next time!
> 
> (*) I wanted Loki to sing a lullaby – it's so precious to imagine him doing that, completely out of character, but not as much if you think of him as Lily. I though about what song to pick though and I looked up a few lullabies, not recognizing any more of them than the obvious ones like Brahms, but that was boring. I switched my search to Swedish, since I would be more familiar with the results there. This song is a Swedish lullaby written by Zacharias Topelius in the nineteenth century, Wikipedia had a translated version, which does kind of work to sing with the same melody, so that's what I ended up choosing, though I made a few changes in the lyrics to make it fit better in my opinion. My mother sang this song to me when I was a child, btw, so there's that. The original name of the song is Videvisan if you want to listen to it, though you'll only find it in Swedish.

**Author's Note:**

> AN 7th June 2014:
> 
> The only thing I didn't enjoy about this prompt was how Lily cheated on James, and I'm not completely pleased with how I handled it, still I tried to make her as sympathetic as possible, and we'll get to see what Lily/Loki thought that night a bit more closely at a later point. As I said in the introduction, this prompt has spawned to additional stories and I recommend that you look at them too. They are A Case of Mistaken Identities by savya398 and Seidr Legacy by Coho Commanche.
> 
> In any case I enjoyed writing this chapter a lot, there will be more to come, though I don't dare say when.


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